Podicipediformes
- podex (L): from podicis , the rump
- pes (L): from pedis , the foot; ‘rump-foot’, referring to the legs being set well back on the body
- Podiceps auritus (Horned Grebe)
- podiceps from podicipes (L): usually means ‘rump-foot’ but – ceps (L) is the suffix meanind ‘headed’ so would translate to mean ‘rump-headed’
- auritus (L): having ears, referring to the conspicuous ear tufts which gives rise to the English name ‘horned’
- Podiceps cristatus (Great Crested Grebe)
- cristatus (L): crested, referring to its prominent crest
- ‘Great’ refers to its size as it is the largest grebe, measuring about 48 cm (19 in)
- Podiceps pelzelnii (Madagascar Little Grebe)
- named after A. von Pelzeln (1825-1891), a German zoologist and author who was Custodian of the Royal Museum in Vienna from 1859 to 1883
- confined to Madagascar
- Podiceps ruficollis (Little Grebe or Red-throated Dabchick)
- smallest of the grebes, measuring about 25 cm (10 in)
- rufus (L): red
- collum (L): the neck, referring to the chestnut-coloured throat patch
- Aechmophorus occidentalis (Western Grebe)
- aikhme (Gr): a spear or its point
- phora (Gr): a carrying or bearing
- occidentalis (L): western, referring to where it inhabits – Western North America
- Centropelma micropterum (Flightless or Short-winged Grebe)
- kentron (Gr): a spur or spike
- pelma (Gr): the sole of the foot, referring to the tarsal bones which are narrow and shaped like a blade
- mikros (Gr): small
- pteron (Gr): wings, which are small and useless for flight
- Podilymbus gigas (Atitlán Grebe)
- very rare and almost flightless; confined to Lake Atitlán in Guatemala
- Podilymbus is a combination of podiceps (see under Horned Grebe) and kolumbis (Gr): a diving bird (another coined word from a mixture of Latin and Greek, which really has no meaning)
- gigas (Gr): a giant, referring to it being one of the largest grebes, measuring about 46 cm (18 in)
Podicipedidae – 19 species
