The genus
Petrochelidon was introduced in 1851 by the German ornithologist
Jean Cabanis. He listed several species in the new genus but did not specify the
type species. In 1855 the English zoologist
George Gray designated the type as
Hirundo melanogaster Swainson. This taxon is now treated as a
subspecies of the
American cliff swallow (
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota melanogaster). The genus name
Petrochelidon is from the
Greek words
petra, "rock", and
khelidon, "swallow". The genus includes all five species commonly called
cliff swallow. The genus contains ten species: ==References==