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Anatidae

(Family)

Overview

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Anatidae is the biological family of birds that includes ducks, geese and swans. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents except Antarctica and on most of the world's islands and island groups. These are birds that can swim, float on the water surface, and in some cases dive in at least shallow water. (The Magpie Goose is no longer[] considered to be part of the Anatidae, but is placed in its own family Anseranatidae.) The family contains around 146 species in 40 genera. They are generally herbivorous, and are monogamous breeders. A number of species undertake annual migrations. A few species have been domesticated for agriculture, and many others are hunted for food and recreation. Five species have become extinct since 1600, and many more are threatened with extinction.

Description and ecology

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The ducks, geese and swans are small to large sized birds that have a general body plan that is broad and elongated.[1] Diving species vary from this in being rounder. Extant species range in size from the Cotton Pygmy Goose, at as little as 26.5 cm (10.5 inches) and 164 grams (5.8 oz), to the Trumpeter Swan, at as much as 183 cm (6 ft) and 17.2 kg (38 lb). The wings are short and pointed, and supported by strong wing muscles that generate rapid beats in flight. They typically have long necks, although this varies in degree between species. The legs are short, strong, are set far to the back of the body (more so in the more aquatic species), and have a leathery feel with a scaly texture. Combined with their body shape this can make some species awkward on land, but they are stronger walkers than other marine and water birds such as grebes or petrels. They have webbed feet. The bills are made of soft keratin with a thin and sensitive layer of skin on top (which has a leathery feel when touched). For most species, the shape of the bill tends to be more flattened to a greater or lesser extent. These contain serrated lamellae which are particularly well defined in the filter-feeding species.[1]

Their feathers are excellent at shedding water due to special oils. Many of the ducks display sexual dimorphism, with the males being more brightly colored than the females (although the situation is reversed in species like the Paradise Shelduck). The swans, geese and whistling-ducks lack sexually dimorphic plumage. Anatids are vocal birds, producing a range of quacks, honks, squeaks, and trumpeting sounds, depending on species; the female often has a deeper voice than the male.[2]

Anatids are generally herbivorous as adults, feeding on various water-plants, although some species also eat fish, molluscs, or aquatic arthropods. One group, the mergansers, are primarily piscivorous, and have a serrated bill to help them catch fish. In a number of species, the young include a high proportion of invertebrates in their diet, but become purely herbivorous as adults.[2]

Breeding

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The anatids are generally seasonal and monogamous breeders. The level of monogamy varies within the family, many of the smaller ducks only maintain the bond for a single season and find a new partner the following year, whereas the larger swans, geese and some of the more territorial ducks maintain pair bonds over a number of years. Anatidae are remarkable for being one of the few families of birds that possess a penis; [3] most species are adapted for copulation on the water only. They construct simple nests from whatever material is close to hand, often lining them with a layer of down plucked from the mother's breast. In most species, only the female incubates the eggs. The young are precocial, and are able to feed themselves from birth.[2] One aberrant species, the Black-headed Duck, is an obligate brood parasite, laying its eggs in the nests of gulls and coots. While this species never raises its own young, a number of other ducks will occasionally lay eggs in the nests of conspecifics (members of the same species) in addition to raising their own broods.

Relationship with humans

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Duck, eider, and goose feathers and down have long been popular for bedspreads, pillows, sleeping bags and coats. The members of this family also have long been used for food.

Humans have had a long relationship with ducks, geese and swans; they are important economically and culturally to humans, and several duck species have benefited from an association with people. On the other hand some anatids are damaging agricultural pests, and have acted as vectors for zoonoses such as avian influenza.

Sinc e 1600, five species of duck have become extinct due to the activities of humans,[citation needed] and subfossil remains have shown that humans caused numerous extinctions in prehistory. Today many more are considered threatened. Most of the historic and prehistoric extinctions were insular species, these species were vulnerable due to small populations (often endemic to a single island), and island tameness. Evolving on islands that lacked predators these species lost anti-predator behaviours as well as the ability to fly, and were vulnerable to human hunting pressure and introduced species.[citation needed] Other extinctions and declines are attributable to overhunting, habitat loss and modification, as well as hybridisation with introduced ducks (for example the introduced Ruddy Duck swamping the White-headed Duck in Europe). Numerous governments, conservation and hunting organizations have made considerable progress in protecting ducks and duck populations through habitat protection and creation, laws and protection, and captive breeding programmes.

Systematics

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The relationships of the different tribes and subfamilies within the family are poorly understood. The listing in the box at right should be regarded as simply one of several possible ways of organising the many species within the Anatidae; see discussion in the next section.

The systematics of the Anatinae is in a state of flux. Previously divided into six subfamilies,[citation needed] a study of anatomical characters by Livezey[4] suggest that the Anatidae are better treated in nine subfamilies. This classification was popular in the late 1980s to 1990s.[5] But mtDNA sequence analyses[6][7] indicate that for example the dabbling and diving ducks do not belong in the same subfamily. While there are certainly shortcomings in Livezey's analysis,[citation needed] mtDNA is an unreliable source for phylogenetic information in many waterfowl (especially dabbling ducks) due to their ability to produce fertile hybrids,[1] in rare cases possibly even beyond the level of genus (see for example the "Barbary Duck"). Because the sample size of many molecular studies available to date is small, mtDNA results must be considered with caution.[citation needed]

But while a comprehensive review of the Anatidae which unites all evidence into a robust phylogeny is still lacking, the reasons for the confusing data are at least clear: As demonstrated by the Late Cretaceous fossil Vegavis iaai ? an early modern waterbird which belonged to an extinct lineage?the Anatidae are an ancient group among the modern birds. Their earliest direct ancestors, though not documented by fossils yet, likewise can be assumed[citation needed] to have been contemporaries with the dinosaurs. The long period of evolution and shifts from one kind of waterbird lifestyle to another have obscured many plesiomorphies, while apomorphies apparently are quite often the result of parallel evolution, for example the "non-diving duck" type displayed by such unrelated genera as Dendrocygna, Amazonetta, and Cairina. For the fossil record, see below.

Alternatively,[8] the Anatidae may be considered to consist of 3 subfamilies (ducks, geese, and swans, essentially) which contain the groups as presented here as tribes, with the swans separated as subfamily Cygninae, the goose subfamily Anserinae also containing the whistling ducks, and the Anatinae containing all other clades.

Genera

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A male mallard duck

Prehistoric species

The Maned Duck is the only living member of the genus Chenonetta

From subfossil bones found on Kaua?i (Hawaiian Islands), two enigmatic waterfowl are known.[10] The living and assignable prehistoric avifauna of the archipelago contains as Anseriformes Branta geese and their descendants, and the moa-nalos as mentioned above. The following taxa, although certainly new species, cannot be assigned even to subfamily; that Kaua?i is the oldest of the large Hawaiian Islands, meaning the species may have been evolving in isolation for nearly up to 10 mya (since the Late Miocene), does not help in determining their affinities:

Similarly, Geochen rhuax from the Big Island of Hawai?i, and a gigantic goose-like anatid from O?ahu are known only from very incomplete and in the former case much damaged bone fragments. The former has been alleged to be a shelduck,[11] but this was generally dismissed because of the damage to the material and biogeographic considerations. The long-legged Kaua?i bird, however, hints at the possibility of a former tadornine presence on the archipelago.

Fossil Anatidae

The fossil record of anatids is extensive, but many prehistoric genera cannot be unequivocally assigned to present-day subfamilies for the reasons given above. For prehistoric species of extant genera, see the respective genus accounts.

Dendrocheninae ? a more advanced relative of the whistling-ducks or an ancestral relative of stifftail ducks paralleling whistling-ducks; if not extinct possibly belong in Oxyurinae (including Malacorhynchus)

Anserinae

Tadorninae

Anatinae

Oxyurinae

Incertae sedis

Putative or disputed prehistoric anatids are:

The Middle Oligocene Limicorallus (from Chelkar-Teniz (Kazakhstan) was sometimes considered an anserine. It is, however, a primitive cormorant. The middle Eocene Eonessa wa formerly thought to belong to Anatidae, however reexamination of the holotype in 1978 resulted in the genus being placed as Aves incertae sedis.[14]

Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b c Carboneras, C. (1992).
  2. ^ a b c Todd, F. (1991)
  3. ^ McCracken, K. (2000)
  4. ^ a b c d Livezey, B. (1986)
  5. ^ Madge, S. & Burn, H. (1987)
  6. ^ Sraml, M. et al. (1996)
  7. ^ a b c Johnson, K. & Sorenson, M. (1999).
  8. ^ Terres, J. & NAS (1991)
  9. ^ Collar, N. et al. (2001).
  10. ^ Burney, D. et al. (2001).
  11. ^ Short, L. (1970)
  12. ^ G?l, E. et al. (1998-99)
  13. ^ Ml?kovsk?, J. 1992 "The present state of knowledge of Tertiary birds of Central europe" Nat. Hist. Mus. Los Angeles Co., Science Series 36
  14. ^ Olson, S.L.; Feduccia, A. (1980). "Presbyornis and the Origin of the Anseriformes (Aves: Charadriomorphae)". Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology (Smithsonian Institution) 323: 1?24. http://si-pddr.si.edu/dspace/bitstream/10088/4566/1/Presbyornis.pdf. 
>Anatidae is the biological family of birds that includes ducks, geese and swans. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents except Antarctica and on most of the world's islands and island groups. These are birds that can swim, float on the water surface, and in some cases dive in at least shallow water. (The Magpie Goose is no longer[] considered to be part of the Anatidae, but is placed in its own family Anseranatidae.) The family contains around 146 species in 40 genera. They are generally herbivorous, and are monogamous breeders. A number of species undertake annual migrations. A few species have been domesticated for agriculture, and many others are hunted for food and recreation. Five species have become extinct since 1600, and many more are threatened with extinction.

Description and ecology

[ Back to top ]

The ducks, geese and swans are small to large sized birds that have a general body plan that is broad and elongated.[1] Diving species vary from this in being rounder. Extant species range in size from the Cotton Pygmy Goose, at as little as 26.5 cm (10.5 inches) and 164 grams (5.8 oz), to the Trumpeter Swan, at as much as 183 cm (6 ft) and 17.2 kg (38 lb). The wings are short and pointed, and supported by strong wing muscles that generate rapid beats in flight. They typically have long necks, although this varies in degree between species. The legs are short, strong, are set far to the back of the body (more so in the more aquatic species), and have a leathery feel with a scaly texture. Combined with their body shape this can make some species awkward on land, but they are stronger walkers than other marine and water birds such as grebes or petrels. They have webbed feet. The bills are made of soft keratin with a thin and sensitive layer of skin on top (which has a leathery feel when touched). For most species, the shape of the bill tends to be more flattened to a greater or lesser extent. These contain serrated lamellae which are particularly well defined in the filter-feeding species.[1]

Their feathers are excellent at shedding water due to special oils. Many of the ducks display sexual dimorphism, with the males being more brightly colored than the females (although the situation is reversed in species like the Paradise Shelduck). The swans, geese and whistling-ducks lack sexually dimorphic plumage. Anatids are vocal birds, producing a range of quacks, honks, squeaks, and trumpeting sounds, depending on species; the female often has a deeper voice than the male.[2]

Anatids are generally herbivorous as adults, feeding on various water-plants, although some species also eat fish, molluscs, or aquatic arthropods. One group, the mergansers, are primarily piscivorous, and have a serrated bill to help them catch fish. In a number of species, the young include a high proportion of invertebrates in their diet, but become purely herbivorous as adults.[2]

Breeding

[ Back to top ]

The anatids are generally seasonal and monogamous breeders. The level of monogamy varies within the family, many of the smaller ducks only maintain the bond for a single season and find a new partner the following year, whereas the larger swans, geese and some of the more territorial ducks maintain pair bonds over a number of years. Anatidae are remarkable for being one of the few families of birds that possess a penis;[3] most species are adapted for copulation on the water only. They construct simpl e nests from whatever material is close to hand, often lining them with a layer of down plucked from the mother's breast. In most species, only the female incubates the eggs. The young are precocial, and are able to feed themselves from birth.[2] One aberrant species, the Black-headed Duck, is an obligate brood parasite, laying its eggs in the nests of gulls and coots. While this species never raises its own young, a number of other ducks will occasionally lay eggs in the nests of conspecifics (members of the same species) in addition to raising their own broods.

Relationship with humans

[ Back to top ]

Duck, eider, and goose feathers and down have long been popular for bedspreads, pillows, sleeping bags and coats. The members of this family also have long been used for food.

Humans have had a long relationship with ducks, geese and swans; they are important economically and culturally to humans, and several duck species have benefited from an association with people. O n the other hand some anatids are damaging agricultural pests, and have acted as vectors for zoonoses such as avian influenza.

Since 1600, five species of duck have become extinct due to the activities of humans,[citation needed] and subfossil remains have shown that humans caused numerous extinctions in prehistory. Today many more are considered threatened. Most of the historic and prehistoric extinctions were insular species, these species were vulnerable due to small populations (often endemic to a single island), and island tameness. Evolving on islands that lacked predators these species lost anti-predator behaviours as well as the ability to fly, and were vulnerable to human hunting pressure and introduced species.[citation needed] Other extinctions and declines are attributable to overhunting, habitat loss and modification, as well as hybridisation with introduced ducks (for example the introduced Ruddy Duck swamping the White-headed Duck in Europe). Numerous governments, conservation and hunting organizations have made considerable progress in protecting ducks and duck populations through habitat protection and creation, laws and protection, and captive breeding programmes.

Systematics

[ Back to top ]

The relationships of the different tribes and subfamilies within the family are poorly understood. The listing in the box at right should be regarded as simply one of several possible ways of organising the many species within the Anatidae; see discussion in the next section.

The systematics of the Anatinae is in a state of flux. Previously divided into six subfamilies,[citation needed] a study of anatomical characters by Livezey[4] suggest that the Anatidae are better treated in nine subfamilies. This classification was popular in the late 1980s to 1990s.[5] But mtDNA sequence analyses[6][7] indicate that for example the dabbling and diving ducks do not belong in the same subfamily. While there are certainly shortcomings in Livezey's analysis,[citation needed] mtDNA is an unreliable source for phylogenetic information in many waterfowl (especially dabbling ducks) due to their ability to produce fertile hybrids,[1] in rare cases possibly even beyond the level of genus (see for example the "Barbary Duck"). Because the sample size of many molecular studies available to date is small, mtDNA results must be considered with caution.[citation needed]

But while a comprehensive review of the Anatidae which unites all evidence into a robust phylogeny is still lacking, the reasons for the confusing data are at least clear: As demonstrated by the Late Cretaceous fossil Vegavis iaai ? an early modern waterbird which belonged to an extinct lineage?the Anatidae are an ancient group among the modern birds. Their earliest direct ancestors, though not documented by fossils yet, likewise can be assumed[citation needed] to have been contemporaries with the dinosaurs. The long period of evolution and shifts from one kind of waterbird lifestyle to another have obscured many plesiomorphies, while apomorphies apparently are quite often the result of parallel evolution, for example the "non-diving duck" type displayed by such unrelated genera as Dendrocygna, Amazonetta, and Cairina. For the fossil record, see below.

Alternatively,[8] the Anatidae may be considered to consist of 3 subfamilies (ducks, geese, and swans, essentially) which contain the groups as presented here as tribes, with the swans separated as subfamily Cygninae, the goose subfamily Anserinae also containing the whistling ducks, and the Anatinae containing all other clades.

Genera

[ Back to top ]
A male mallard duck

Prehistoric species

The Maned Duck is the only living member of the genus Chenonetta

From subfossil bones found on Kaua?i (Hawaiian Islands), two enigmatic waterfowl are known.[10] The living and assignable prehistoric avifauna of the archipelago contains as Anseriformes Branta geese and their descendants, and the moa-nalos as mentioned above. The following taxa, although certainly new species, cannot be assigned even to subfamily; that Kaua?i is the oldest of the large Hawaiian Islands, meaning the species may have been evolving in isolation for nearly up to 10 mya (since the Late Miocene), does not help in determining their affinities:

Similarly, Geochen rhuax from the Big Island of Hawai?i, and a gigantic goose-like anatid from O?ahu are known only from very incomplete and in the former case much damaged bone fragments. The former has been alleged to be a shelduck,[11] but this was generally dismissed because of the damage to the material and biogeographic considerations. The long-legged Kaua?i bird, however, hints at the possibility of a former tadornine presence on the archipelago.

Fossil Anatidae

The fossil record of anatids is extensive, but many prehistoric genera cannot be unequivocally assigned to present-day subfamilies for the reasons given above. For prehistoric species of extant genera, see the respective genus accounts.

Dendrocheninae ? a more advanced relative of the whistling-ducks or an ancestral relative of stifftail ducks paralleling whistling-ducks; if not extinct possibly belong in Oxyurinae (including Malacorhynchus)

Anserinae

Tadorninae

Anatinae

Oxyurinae

Incertae sedis

Putative or disputed prehistoric anatids are:

The Middle Oligocene Limicorallus (from Chelkar-Teniz (Kazakhstan) was sometimes considered an anserine. It is, however, a primitive cormorant. The middle Eocene Eonessa wa formerly thought to belong to Anatidae, however reexamination of the holotype in 1978 resulted in the genus being placed as Aves incertae sedis.[14]

Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b c Carboneras, C. (1992).
  2. ^ a b c Todd, F. (1991)
  3. ^ McCracken, K. (2000)
    4. < li id="cite_note-livezey1986-3">^ a b c d Livezey, B. (1986)
  4. ^ Madge, S. & Burn, H. (1987)
  5. ^ Sraml, M. et al. (1996)
  6. ^ a b c Johnson, K. & Sorenson, M. (1999).
  7. ^ Terres, J. & NAS (1991)
  8. ^ Collar, N. et al. (2001).
  9. ^ Burney, D. et al. (2001).
  10. ^ Short, L. (1970)
  11. ^ G?l, E. et al. (1998-99)
  12. ^ Ml?kovsk?, J. 1992 "The present state of knowledge of Tertiary birds of Central europe" Nat. Hist. Mus. Los Angeles Co., Science Series 36
  13. ^ Olson, S.L.; Feduccia, A. (1980). "Presbyornis and the Origin of the Anseriformes (Aves: Charadriomorphae)". Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology (Smithsonian Institution) 323: 1?24. http://si-pddr.si.edu/dspace/bitstream/10088/4566/1/Presbyornis.pdf. 

References

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External links

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Taxonomy

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The Family Anatidae is a member of the Superfamily Anatoidea. Here is the complete "parentage" of Anatidae:

The Family Anatidae is further organized into finer groupings including:

Genera

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Aix

Alopochen

The Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae, and is the only extant member of the genus Alopochen. mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data suggest that the relationships of Alopochen to Tadorna need further investigation (Sraml et al. 1996). [more]

Amazonetta

The Brazilian Teal or Brazilian Duck (Amazonetta brasiliensis) is the only duck in the genus Amazonetta. It was formerly considered a "perching duck", but more recent analyses indicate that it belongs to a clade of South American dabbling ducks which also includes the Crested Duck, the Bronze-winged Duck, and possibly the steamer ducks (Johnson & Sorenson, 1999). [more]

Anabernicula

[more]

Anas

Anas is a genus of dabbling ducks. It includes mallards, wigeons, teals, pintails and shovelers in a number of subgenera. Some authorities prefer to elevate the subgenera to genus rank. Indeed, as the moa-nalos are very close to this clade and may have evolved later than some of these lineages, it is rather the absence of a thorough review than lack of necessity that this genus is rather over-lumped. [more]

Anser

The word anser comes from Latin, meaning goose, and can refer to: [more]

Asacornis

[more]

Asarcornis

[more]

Athya

[more]

Aythya

Aythya is a genus of diving ducks. It has twelve described species. [more]

Bernicla

[more]

Biziura

Biziura is a genus of stiff-tailed ducks endemic to Australasia and containing one living and one fossil species. [more]

Branta

The black geese of the genus Branta are waterfowl belonging to the true geese and swans subfamily Anserinae. They occur in the northern coastal regions of the Palearctic and all over North America, migrating to more southernly coasts in winter, and as resident birds in the Hawaiian Islands. Alone in the Southern Hemisphere, a self-sustaining feral population derived from introduced birds of one species is also found in New Zealand. [more]

Bucephala

Cairina

Cairina is a genus of ducks in the bird family Anatidae. [more]

Callonetta

The Ringed Teal (Callonetta leucophrys) is a small duck of South American forests. It is the only species of the genus Callonetta. Usually placed with the dabbling ducks (Anatinae), this species may actually be closer to shelducks and belong in the subfamily Tadorninae; its closest relative is possibly the Maned Duck. [more]

Camptorhynchus

The Labrador Duck (Camptorhynchus labradorius) was a striking black and white eider-like sea duck that was never common, and is believed to be the first bird to become extinct in North America after 1500. The last Labrador Duck is believed to have been seen at Elmira, New York on December 12, 1878; the last preserved specimen was shot in 1875 on Long Island. It was thought to breed in Labrador, and it wintered from Nova Scotia to as far south as Chesapeake Bay. [more]

Casarca

[more]

Centrornis

[more]

Cereopsis

The Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae) is a large goose resident in southern Australia. The species is named for Cape Barren Island, where specimens were first sighted by European explorers. [more]

Chaulelasmus

[more]

Chelychelynechen

[more]

Chen

Chen is a Chinese and Hebrew surname: see . [more]

Chendytes

[more]

Chenonetta

The Australian Wood Duck, Maned Duck or Maned Goose (Chenonetta jubata) is a dabbling duck found throughout much of Australia. It is the only living species in the genus Chenonetta. Traditionally placed in the subfamily Anatinae (dabbling ducks), it might actually belong to the subfamily Tadorninae (shelducks); the Ringed Teal may be its closest living relative. [more]

Chenopis

[more]

Chloephaga

Chloephaga is the sheldgeese in the bird family Anatidae. [more]

Clangula

The Long-tailed Duck or Oldsquaw (Clangula hyemalis) is a medium-sized sea duck. It is the only living member of its genus, Clangula; this was formerly used for the goldeneyes, with the Long-tailed Duck being placed in Harelda. An undescribed congener is known from the Middle Miocene (Late Badenian, 13-12 mya) of M?trasz?l?s, Hungary (G?l et al. 1998-99). [more]

Cnemiornis

[more]

Coscoroba

The Coscoroba Swan (Coscoroba coscoroba) is a species of waterfowl inhabiting southern South America. It is the smallest of the birds called "swans", but still a large species of waterfowl, averaging 4.2 kg (9.3 lbs), 1 m (3.3 ft) long and 1.57 m (5.2 ft) across the wings. It belongs to the subfamily Anserinae in the family of ducks, swans, and geese, Anatidae. It is placed in the monotypic genus Coscoroba. [more]

Cyanochen

The Blue-winged Goose (Cyanochen cyanoptera) is a waterfowl species which is endemic to Ethiopia. It is the only member of the genus Cyanochen. [more]

Cygnus

Cygnus is the Latin word for swan, the romanized form of the ancient Greek ?????? (kyknos) "swan". It may refer to: [more]

Dafila

[more]

Dendrochen

[more]

Dendrocygna

The whistling ducks or tree ducks are a subfamily, Dendrocygninae of the duck, goose and swan family of birds, Anatidae. In other taxonomical approaches, they are either considered a separate family "Dendrocygnidae", or a tribe "Dendrocygnini" in the goose subfamily Anserinae (e.g. Terres & NAS, 1991). [more]

Dendronessa

Eonessa

Eulabeia

Eunetta

Euryanas

Finsch's Duck (Chenonetta finschi) was a large terrestrial species of duck formerly endemic to New Zealand. The species was possibly once the most common duck in New Zealand, a supposition based on the frequency of its fossils in bone deposits. The species was originally considered to be in its own genus, Euryanas, but is now known to be closely related to the Maned Duck and recently derived from that species. [more]

Geochen

[more]

Glaucionetta

[more]

Heteronetta

The Black-headed Duck (Heteronetta atricapilla) is a South American duck allied to the stiff-tailed ducks in the subfamily Oxyurinae of the family Anatidae. It is the only member of the genus Heteronetta. [more]

Histrionicus

The Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) is a small sea duck. It takes its name from Arlecchino, Harlequin in French, a colorfully dressed character in Commedia dell'arte. The species name comes from the Latin word "histrio", "actor". In North America it is also known as Lords and ladies. Other names include painted duck, totem pole duck, rock duck, glacier duck, mountain duck, white-eyed diver, squeaker and blue streak. [more]

Hymenolaimus

The Blue Duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos) is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae endemic to New Zealand. It is the only member of the genus Hymenolaimus, placed in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae[] after previously being considered part of the paraphyletic "perching duck" assemblage. The Maori name, sometimes used in English, is whio, which is an onomatopoetic rendition of the males' call. [more]

Lophodytes

The Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) is a small duck and is the only member of the genus Lophodytes. [more]

Lophonetta

The Crested Duck (Lophonetta specularioides) is a species of duck native to South America, the only member of the monotypic genus Lophonetta. It is sometimes included in Anas, but it belongs to a South American clade that diverged early in dabbling duck evolution (Johnson & Sorenson, 1999). There are two subspecies: L. specularioides alticola (Andean Crested Duck) and L. specularioides specularioides (Patagonian Crested Duck). The Patagonian Crested Duck is also called the Southern Crested Duck and its range lies in the Falklands, Chile, and Argentina. [more]

Malacorhynchus

The Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus) is a species of duck found in Australia. It has a large spatulate bill like the Australasian Shoveler, but is smaller at 38?40 cm length. Its brown back and crown, black and white barred sides and black eye patches on its otherwise white face make this bird unmistakable. Juveniles are slightly duller, but otherwise all plumages are similar. Its vernacular name refers to a pink spot in the corner formed by the black head pattern; it is only noticeable at close distance however, making the seldom-used Australian name of Zebra Duck more appropriate. [more]

Mareca

Marmaronetta

The Marbled Duck, or Marbled Teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris), is a medium-sized duck. It used to be included among the dabbling ducks, but is now classed as a diving duck. [more]

Marmoronetta

Mascarenachen

The Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae, and is the only extant member of the genus Alopochen. mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data suggest that the relationships of Alopochen to Tadorna need further investigation (Sraml et al. 1996). [more]

Melananas

Melanitta

The scoters are stocky in the genus Melanitta. The drakes are mostly black and have swollen bills. Females are brown. [more]

Merganetta

The Torrent Duck (Merganetta armata) is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is the only member of the genus Merganetta. Today it is placed in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae after the "perching duck" assemblage where it was formerly assigned to was dissolved because it turned out to be paraphyletic[]. Its closest relative may be the Blue Duck of New Zealand[citation needed]. [more]

Mergellus

The Smew (Mergellus albellus) is a small duck, which is somewhat intermediate between the typical mergansers (Mergus) and the goldeneyes (Bucephala). It is the only member of the genus Mergellus; sometimes included in Mergus, this genus is distinct (though closely related) and might actually be a bit closer to the goldeneyes. The Smew has interbred with the Common Goldeneye (B. clangula). [more]

Mergus

Mergus is the genus of the typical mergansers, fish-eating ducks in the seaduck subfamily (Merginae). The Hooded Merganser, often termed Mergus cucullatus, is not of this genus but closely related. The other "aberrant" merganser, the Smew (Mergellus albellus), is phylogenetically closer to goldeneyes (Bucephala). [more]

Metopiana

Neochen

The Orinoco Goose (Neochen jubata) is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae, and is the only living member of the genus Neochen. Two fossil relatives have been described from Late Pleistocene sites: Neochen pugil and Neochen debilis of Brazil and Argentina, respectively. [more]

Nesochen

A Genus in the Kingdom Animalia.[1] [more]

Netta

Netta is a genus of diving ducks. Unlike other diving ducks, the Netta species are reluctant to dive, and feed more like dabbling ducks. [more]

Nettapus

The pygmy geese are a group of very small "perching ducks" in the genus Nettapus which breed in the Old World tropics. They are the smallest of all wildfowl. As the "perching ducks" are a paraphyletic group, they need to be placed elsewhere. The initially assumed relationship with the dabbling duck subfamily Anatinae[] has been questioned, and it appears they form a lineage in an ancient Gondwanan radiation of waterfowl, within which they are of unclear affinities. An undescribed fossil species from the late Hemphillian (5.0-4.1 mya) of Jalisco, central Mexico, has also been identified from the distal end of a tarsometatarsus. It is only record of the genus in the New World. [more]

Nettion

[more]

Nomonyx

The Masked Duck (Nomonyx dominicus) is a tiny stiff-tailed duck ranging through the tropical Americas. They are found from Mexico to South America and also in the Caribbean. Primarily non-migratory, Masked Ducks are reported as very uncommon vagrants in the southernmost United States, along the Mexican border and in Florida. [more]

Olor

A Genus in the Kingdom Animalia. [more]

Oxyura

Stiff-tailed ducks are part of the Oxyurinae subfamily of ducks. All have, as their name implies, long stiff tail feathers, which are erected when the bird is at rest. All have relatively large swollen bills. [more]

Pachyanas

[more]

Paecilonetta

Paranyroca

[more]

Phaeoaythia

Philacte

The Emperor Goose (Chen canagica) is a species of goose. It breeds around the Bering Sea, mostly in Alaska, USA, but also in Kamchatka, Russia. It is migratory, wintering mainly in the Aleutian Islands. [more]

Plectropterus

The Spur-winged Goose (Plectropterus gambensis) is a large bird in the family Anatidae, related to the geese and the shelducks, but distinct from both of these in a number of anatomical features, and therefore treated in its own subfamily, the Plectropterinae. It occurs in wetlands throughout sub-Saharan Africa. [more]

Polysticta

The Steller's Eider (Polysticta stelleri) is a medium-large sea duck that breeds along the Arctic coasts of eastern Siberia and Alaska. The lined nest is built on tundra close to the sea, and 6-10 eggs are laid. [more]

Pseudotadorna

[more]

Ptaiochen

[more]

Pteronetta

The Hartlaub's Duck (Pteronetta hartlaubii) is a dark chestnut-colored duck of African forests. Formerly included in the paraphyletic "perching duck" assemblage, it was later moved to the dabbling duck assemblage. However, it is fairly distinct from the "typical" dabbling ducks, and is placed in the monotypic genus Pteronetta to reflect this. [more]

Punanetta

[more]

Querquedula

[more]

Radjah

[more]

Rhodonessa

The Pink-headed Duck (Rhodonessa caryophyllacea) is (or was) a large that was once found in parts of the Gangetic plains of India, Bangladesh and in the riverine swamps of Myanmar but feared extinct since the 1950s. Numerous searches have failed to provide any proof of continued existence. It has been suggested that it may exist in the inaccessible swamp regions of northern Myanmar and some sight reports from that region have led to its status being declared as "critically endangered" rather than extinct. The genus placement has been disputed and while some have suggested that it is closer to the pochards, others have placed it in a separate genus of its own. [more]

Rufibrenta

Salvadorina

The Salvadori's Teal or Salvadori's Duck (Salvadorina waigiuensis) is a species of bird native to New Guinea. It is placed in the monotypic genus Salvadorina. [more]

Sarkidiornis

The Knob-billed Duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos), or Comb Duck, is an unusual, pan-tropical duck, found in tropical wetlands in sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar and south Asia from Pakistan to Laos and extreme southern China. It also occurs in continental South America south to the Paraguay River region in eastern Paraguay, southeastern Brazil and the extreme northeast of Argentina, and as a vagrant on Trinidad. [more]

Sinanas

Somateria

Eiders are large in the genus Somateria. Steller's Eider, despite its name, is in a different genus. [more]

Spatula

A spatula also called a turner, or a fish slice or frying scoop in (but see note on usage under Related Utensils below), is a kitchen utensil with a long handle and a broad flat edge, used for lifting fried foods. Though the word spatula is used in British English, it refers solely to a mixing and spreading implement. Often the plate scraper is referred to as a spatula. In some parts of Scotland (e.g. Glasgow or Victoria Halls[citation needed]) the spatula is also known as a tosser which refers to the tossing of omelettes or pancakes. [more]

Speculanas

The Bronze-winged Duck (Speculanas specularis) also known as the Spectacled Duck, is a dabbling duck and the sole member of its genus Speculanas. It is often placed in Anas with most other dabbling ducks, but its closest relative is either the Crested Duck or the Brazilian Duck, which likewise form monotypic genera. Together they belong to a South American lineage which diverged early from the other dabbling ducks (Johnson & Sorenson, 1999) and may include the steamer ducks. [more]

Sthenelides

Stictonetta

The Freckled Duck (Stictonetta naevosa) is a moderately large, broad-bodied duck native to southern Australia. The duck is protected by law. Dark in color with fine off-white speckles all over, it is most easily identified by its large head with a peaked (as opposed to rounded) crown. [more]

Tachyeres

The steamer ducks are a genus (Tachyeres) of ducks in the family Anatidae. All of the four species occur in South America, and all except the Flying Steamer Duck are flightless; even this one species capable of flight rarely takes to the air. The genus name Tachyeres, "having fast oars" or "fast rower", comes from Ancient Greek ta??- "fast" + ???ss? "I row (as with oars)".[] The common name "steamer ducks" derives because, when swimming fast, they flap their wings into the water as well as using their feet, creating an effect like a paddle steamer.[citation needed] [more]

Tadorna

The shelducks, genus Tadorna, are a group of large birds in the Tadorninae subfamily of the Anatidae, the biological family that includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl such as the geese and swans. [more]

Thalassornis

The White-backed Duck (Thalassornis leuconotus) is a waterbird of the family Anatidae. It is distinct from all other ducks, but most closely related to the whistling ducks in the subfamily Dendrocygninae, though also showing some similarities to the stiff-tailed ducks in the subfamily Oxyurinae. It is the only member of the genus Thalassornis. [more]

Thambetochen

[more]

More info about the Genus Thambetochen may be found here.

References

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  • Burney, David A.; James, Helen F.; Burney, Lida Pigott; Olson, Storrs L.; Kikuchi, William; Wagner, Warren L.; Burney, Mara; McCloskey, Deirdre; Kikuchi, Delores; Grady, Frederick V.; Gage, Reginald II & Nishek, Robert (2001): Fossil Evidence for a Diverse Biota from Kaua?i and Its Transformation since Human Arrival. Ecological Monographs 71(4): 615?641. doi:10.2307/3100038
  • Carboneras, Carles (1992): Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese and Swans). In: del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew & Sargatal, Jordi (eds.): Handbook of Birds of the World (Volume 1: Ostrich to Ducks): 536?629. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 84-87334-10-5
  • Collar, N. J.; Andreev, A. V.; Chan, S.; Crosby, M. J.; Subramanya, S. & Tobias, J. A. (eds.) (2001): Pink-headed Duck. In:Threatened Birds of Asia: The BirdLife International Red Data Book: 489?501. BirdLife International. ISBN 0-946888-44-2 HTML fulltext
  • G?l, Erika; H?r, J?nos; Kessler, Eug?n & K?kay, J?zsef (1998?99): K?z?ps?-mioc?n ?smaradv?nyok, a M?trasz?l?s, R?k?czi-k?polna alatti ?tbev?g?sb?l. I. A M?trasz?l?s 1. lel?hely [Middle Miocene fossils from the sections at the R?k?czi chapel at M?traszolos. Locality M?trasz?l?s I.]. Folia Historico Naturalia Musei Matraensis 23: 33?78. [Hungarian with English abstract] PDF fulltext
  • Johnsgard, Paul A. (2010): Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World, Revised edition PDF fulltext
  • Johnsgard, Paul A. (2010): Waterfowl of North America, Revised edition PDF fulltext
  • Johnson, Kevin P. & Sorenson, Michael D. (1999): Phylogeny and biogeography of dabbling ducks (genus Anas): a comparison of molecular and morphological evidence. Auk 116(3): 792?805. PDF fulltext
  • Livezey, Bradley C. (1986): A phylogenetic analysis of recent anseriform genera using morphological characters. Auk 103(4): 737?754. PDF fulltext DjVu fulltext
  • Madge, Steve & Burn, Hilary (1987): Wildfowl : an identification guide to the ducks, geese and swans of the world. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 0-7470-2201-1
  • McCracken, Kevin G. (2000): "The 20-cm Spiny Penis of the Argentine Lake Duck (Oxyura vittata)". The Auk 117(3) p. 820?825.
  • Short, Leste r L. (1970): A new anseriform genus and species from the Nebraska Pliocene. Auk 87(3): 537?543. PDF fulltext
  • Sraml, M.; Christidis, L.; Easteal, S.; Horn, P. & Collet, C. (1996): Molecular Relationships Within Australasian Waterfowl (Anseriformes). Australian Journal of Zoology 44(1): 47?58. doi:10.1071/ZO9960047 (HTML abstract)
  • Steadman, David William (1999): The Prehistory of Vertebrates, Especially Birds, on Tinian, Aguiguan, and Rota, Northern Mariana Islands. Micronesica 31(2): 319?345. PDF fulltext
  • Terres, John K. & National Audubon Society (NAS) (1991): The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds. Wings Books, New York. Reprint of 1980 edition. ISBN 0517032880
  • Todd, Frank S. (1991). Forshaw, Joseph. ed. Encyclopaedia of Animals: Birds. London: Merehurst Press. pp. 81?87. ISBN 1-85391-186-0. 

External links

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Footnotes

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  1. http://www.ubio.org/browser/details.php?namebankID=22139
  1. ^ a b c Carboneras, C. (1992)
  2. ^ a b c Todd, F. (1991)
  3. ^ McCracken, K. (2000)
  4. ^ a b c d Livezey, B. (1986)
  5. ^ Madge, S. & Burn, H. (1987)
  6. ^ S raml, M. et al. (1996)
  7. ^ a b c Johnson, K. & Sorenson, M.(1999)
  8. ^ Terres, J. & NAS (1991)
  9. ^ Collar, N. et al. (2001)
  10. ^ Burney, D. et al. (2001)
  11. ^ Short, L. (1970)
  12. ^ Gál, E. et al. (1998-99)

Sources

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  • The text on this page is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It includes material from Wikipedia retrieved Wednesday, April 25, 2012.
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Last Revised: August 24, 2012
2012/08/24 13:23:39