Leptotila

Leptotila
Caribbean dove
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
Subfamily: Columbinae
Genus: Leptotila
Swainson, 1837
Type species
Peristera rufaxilla = Columba jamaicensis
Selby, 1835
Species

see text

Leptotila is a genus of birds in the dove and pigeon family Columbidae. These are ground-foraging doves that live in the Americas.

The genus Leptotila was introduced by the English naturalist William Swainson in 1837 with the Caribbean dove Leptotila jamaicensis as the type species. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek leptos meaning "delicate" or "slender" with ptilon meaning "feather".

The genus contains the following 11 species:

Zenaidini 

Geotrygon – 9 species

Leptotila – 11 species

Leptotrygon – olive-backed quail-dove

Zenaida – 7 species

Zentrygon – 8 species

Cladogram showing the position of genera in the tribe Zenaidini.