title: Phasianoidea
text: # Phasianoidea
  
  Phasianoidea is a superfamily of birds of the order of the Galliformes.
  
  ## Taxonomy
  
  ### Description
  
  The superfamily was described in 1825 by the Irish zoologist Nicholas Aylward Vigors.
  
  ### Etymology
  
  The name Phasianoidea is formed by the union of the elements of scientific Latin Phasian- and -oidea. The first is the genitive root of the name of its type genus, Phasianus; and the second is the ending -oidea, neutral plural of -oideus, derived from ancient Greek εἴδος eidos, 'aspect', 'appearance', 'form', with the union vowel -o-, used in the formation of numerous names of orders and superfamilies of animals. Literally: 'those who look like pheasants'.
  
  ### Families
  
  The superfamily is subdivided into three families:
  
  Superfamily Phasianoidea Vigors, 1825 – 225 species
  
  * Family Numididae Reichenbach, 1850 – 6 species
  * Family Odontophoridae Gould, 1844 – 34 species
  * Family Phasianidae Vigors, 1825 – 185 species
  