Nyctidromus

Nyctidromus is a genus of nightjars in the family Caprimulgidae. The species are widely distributed in Central and South America.

Nyctidromus
Pauraque (Nyctidromus albicollis)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Clade:	Strisores
Order:	Caprimulgiformes
Family:	Caprimulgidae
Genus:	Nyctidromus Gould, 1838
Type species
Nyctidromus derbyanus (pauraque) Gould, 1838

Taxonomy

The genus Nyctidromus was introduced in 1838 by the English ornithologist John Gould to accommodate his newly described Nyctidromus derbyanus.^[1] This taxon is therefore the type species; it is now considered as a subspecies of the pauraque, Nyctidromus albicollis (Gmelin) 1789.^[2] The genus name combines the Ancient Greek nukti- meaning "nocturnal" or "night-" with -dromos meaning "-racer" (from trekhō "to run").^[3]

The genus contains two species:^[4]

• Pauraque, Nyctidromus albicollis
• Anthony's nightjar, Nyctidromus anthonyi