http://www.ck12.org Chapter 12. Understanding Biodiversity: Animals: Birds
12.8 Geococcyx californianus: Roadrunner
Common Name
- Greater Roadrunner
- California Roadrunner
- Chaparral Cock
Description
The greater roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) length is 58 cm. Its wingspan is 43-61 cm. The greater roadrunner
is a dark brown-black, the breast is white, and its eyes are a bright yellow. After the ostrich, it is the fastest bird
alive. However, unlike the ostrich, it is capable of weak flight as well as running.
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Cuculiformes
- Family: Cuculidae
- Genus:Geococcyx
- Species:Geococcyx californiaus
Habitat
The habitat of the greater roadrunner is in the Southwest of the United States of America, and Northern Mexico. It
lives in the desert, coastal, and inland regions and it tends to inhabit areas with chaparral and coastal sage scrub.
Biology
Cell Biology
Geococcyx californianus, like all other animals, has eukaryotic cells. Eukaryotic cells have a nucleus, whereas a
prokaryotic cell has no nucleus. Eukaryotic cells have many organelles, which are like small organs. One of these
organelles is the nucleus. The nucleus is like the brain of the cell, the cell membrane is the skin of the cell. There
are two type of cell division. Mitosis is when cells grow and divided with the same DNA. Meiosis is when the new
cells have half of the chromosomes in the original cell.