Great Argus
Argusianus argus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderGalliformes (Landfowl)
- FamilyPhasianidae (Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies)
- GenusArgusianus
- SpeciesArgusianus argus (Great Argus)
About the Great Argus
The great argus or greater argus (Argusianus argus) is a large species of pheasant native to the jungles of Borneo, Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula in southeast Asia. It is known for its impressive plumage and courtship behavior. It is not to be confused with the two species of closely related crested argus, genus Rheinardia.
Carl Linnaeus gave the great argus its specific name (from which its common name and genus name are derived) because of the intricate eye-like patterns on its wings, in reference to Argus, a hundred-eyed giant in Greek mythology. There are two subspecies recognized: Nominate argus of the Malay peninsula and Sumatra, and A. a. grayi of Borneo. William Beebe considered the two races to be distinct species, but they have since been lumped.
The genus Argusianus was introduced in 1849 by the English zoologist George Gray with the great argus as the type species. The double-banded argus (Argusianus bipunctatus), known only from a portion of a single primary flight feather, was long considered a potential second species. It was described in 1871 from this feather piece, found in a millinery shipment imported to London. Its origin... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Great Argus in Khao Sok National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Khao Sok National Park
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danum Valley Conservation Area | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 2 | Khao Luang National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 3 | Gunung Leuser National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 4 | Taman Negara National Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 5 | Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 6 | Sepilok | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 7 | Khao Sok National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 8 | Kinabalu Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 9 | Kerinci Seblat National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 10 | Way Kambas National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Great Argus in Khao Sok National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Great Argus sighting in Khao Sok National Park, based on 19 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Great Argus in Khao Sok National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Great Argus in Khao Sok National Park in our monthly data.