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Perching Duck
The term perching ducks is used colloquially to mean any species of ducks distinguished by their readiness to perch high in trees. Until the late 20th century, perching ducks meant ''Cairinini'', a tribe of ducks in the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae, grouped together on the basis of their readiness to perch high in trees. It has been subsequently shown that the grouping is paraphyletic and their apparent similarity results from convergent evolution, with the different members more closely related to various other ducks than to each other. Perching duck species include: Plectropterinae * Spur-winged goose ''Plectropterus gambensis'' Tadorninae * Salvadori's teal ''Salvadorina waigiuensis'' (initially placed in Anatinae) * Blue duck ''Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos'' * Torrent duck ''Merganetta armata'' Anatinae * Brazilian teal ''Amazonetta brasiliensis'' Species that were formerly in the Cairinini tribe, and do not have an identified current subfamily include: * Co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. Other ways of defining species include their karyotype, DNA sequence, morphology (biology), morphology, behaviour, or ecological niche. In addition, palaeontologists use the concept of the chronospecies since fossil reproduction cannot be examined. The most recent rigorous estimate for the total number of species of eukaryotes is between 8 and 8.7 million. About 14% of these had been described by 2011. All species (except viruses) are given a binomial nomenclature, two-part name, a "binomen". The first part of a binomen is the name of a genus to which the species belongs. The second part is called the specific name (zoology), specific name or the specific ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brazilian Teal
The Brazilian teal or Brazilian duck (''Amazonetta brasiliensis'') is the only extant species of duck in the genus ''Amazonetta''. It is widely distributed in eastern South America. Taxonomy The Brazilian teal was Species description, formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's ''Systema Naturae''. He placed it with all the other ducks, swans and geese in the genus ''Anas'' and coined the binomial nomenclature, binomial name ''Anas brasiliensis''. Gmelin based his description on the ''Mareca alia species'' (the second Mareca) that was described in 1648 by the German naturalist Georg Marcgrave in his ''Historia Naturalis Brasiliae''. The Brazilian teal is now the only livng species placed in the genus ''Amazonetta'' that was introduced by the German zoologist Hans von Boetticher in 1929. It was formerly considered a ''perching duck'', but more recent analyses indicate that it belongs to a clad ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wood Duck
The wood duck or Carolina duck (''Aix sponsa'') is a partially migratory species of perching duck found in North America. The male is one of the most colorful North American waterfowls. Taxonomy The wood duck was Species description, formally described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, tenth edition of his ''Systema Naturae'' under the binomial nomenclature, binomial name ''Anas sponsa''. Linnaeus based his account on the "summer duck" from Carolina that had been described and illustrated by the English naturalist Mark Catesby in the first volume of his ''The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands'' that was published between 1729 and 1731. Linnaeus specified the type locality (biology), type locality as North America but this has been restricted to Carolina following Catesby. The wood duck is now placed together with the mandarin duck in the genus ''Aix (bird), Aix'' that was introduced in 1828 by th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
White-winged Duck
The white-winged duck or white-winged wood duck (''Asarcornis scutulata'') is a large species of duck, formerly placed in the genus ''Cairina'' with the Muscovy duck (''Cairina moschata'') and allied with the dabbling ducks. However, mtDNA cytochrome ''b'' and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 sequence analysis indicate that the anatomical similarity to the Muscovy duck is deceiving and that the species is appropriately placed in a monotypic genus, as ''Asarcornis scutulata'', which is evolutionarily closer to the redhead (''Aythya americana'', one of the diving ducks). Description This is one of the largest living species of duck next only to the steamer ducks which are heavier. The Muscovy duck also attains sizes that nearly rival the white-winged duck, but may average a bit smaller in a wild state. Length is and wingspan is . Males weigh , while females weigh . [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Muscovy Duck
The Muscovy duck (''Cairina moschata'') is a duck native to the Americas, from the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas and Mexico south to Argentina and Uruguay. The species has been Domestic Muscovy duck, domesticated, and feral Muscovy ducks can be found locally in New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and in Central and Eastern Europe. Description It is a large duck, with the males significantly larger than the females. The males are long and weigh up to ; females are long and weight, roughly half the weight of the males. The wingspan is from . The plumage is predominantly black, with large white patches on the wing; the back and wing feathers being iridescent and glossy in males, while the females are more drab. Muscovy ducks have long claws on their feet and a wide, flat tail. On the head, the male has a short crest on the nape. The bill is black with a speckling of pale pink. A blackish or dark red knob can be seen at the bill base, which is similar in colour to the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
African Pygmy Goose
The African pygmy goose (''Nettapus auritus'') is a perching duck from sub-Saharan Africa. It is the smallest of Africa's waterfowl, and one of the smallest in the world. Though pygmy geese have beaks like those of geese, they are more related to the dabbling ducks and other species called 'ducks'. It is one of the species to which the '' Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds'' (AEWA) applies. Taxonomy The African pygmy goose was described by the French polymath Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon in his ''Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux'' in 1785. The bird was also illustrated in a hand-coloured plate engraved by François-Nicolas Martinet in the ''Planches Enluminées D'Histoire Naturelle'' which was produced under the supervision of Edme-Louis Daubenton to accompany Buffon's text. Neither the plate caption nor Buffon's description included a scientific name but in 1783 the Dutch naturalist Pieter Boddaert coined the binomial name ''Anas au ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cotton Pygmy Goose
The cotton pygmy goose or cotton teal (''Nettapus coromandelianus'') is a small perching duck which breeds in Asia, Southeast Asia extending south and east to Queensland where they are sometimes called white-quilled pygmy goose. They are among the smallest waterfowl in the world and are found in small to large waterbodies with good aquatic vegetation. They are usually seen in pairs or larger groups of pairs, roosting and nesting on trees near water. They are strong fliers and are known to disperse widely, especially in winter. Their breeding season coincides with the rains. Taxonomy The cotton pygmy goose was Species description, formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's ''Systema Naturae''. He placed it with the ducks, swans and geese in the genus ''Anas'' and coined the binomial nomenclature, binomial name ''Anas coromandeliana''. Gmelin based his description on "La Sarcelle de Coromandel" ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gondwana
Gondwana ( ; ) was a large landmass, sometimes referred to as a supercontinent. The remnants of Gondwana make up around two-thirds of today's continental area, including South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia (continent), Australia, Zealandia, Arabian Peninsula, Arabia, and the Indian subcontinent. Gondwana was formed by the Accretion (geology), accretion of several cratons (large stable blocks of the Earth's crust), beginning with the East African Orogeny, the collision of India and Geography of Madagascar, Madagascar with East Africa, and culminating in with the overlapping Brasiliano orogeny, Brasiliano and Kuunga orogeny, Kuunga orogenies, the collision of South America with Africa, and the addition of Australia and Antarctica, respectively. Eventually, Gondwana became the largest piece of continental crust of the Paleozoic Era, covering an area of some , about one-fifth of the Earth's surface. It fused with Laurasia during the Carboniferous to form Pan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Green Pygmy Goose
The green pygmy goose (''Nettapus pulchellus'') is a small perching duck which breeds in southern New Guinea and northern Australia.Alpher, Barry. 2004. Pama-Nyungan: Phonological Reconstruction and Status as a Phylo-Genetic Group. In Claire Bowern and Harold Koch (eds.), ''Australian Languages: Classification and the Comparative Method'', 93-126, 387-574. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Taxonomy First described in 1842 by the ornithologist John Gould, its specific name is derived from diminutive of the Latin adjective ''pulcher'' "pretty". It is one of three species in the Afro-Asian genus ''Nettapus'', an ancient and unusual group of ducks. No subspecies are recognised. Description Ranging from in length, the green pygmy goose is one of the smallest species of duck. It has a wingspan. It has a small bill and a compact form. The breeding male has a predominantly dark green back and neck, and a dark gray crown. The cheeks are white, and the underparts are pale grey and white scallo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hartlaub's Duck
Hartlaub's duck (''Pteronetta hartlaubii'') is a dark chestnut-coloured 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''. It is named after the German naturalist Gustav Hartlaub. Analysis of mtDNA sequences of the cytochrome ''b'' and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 genes suggests that it belongs into a very distinct clade—possibly a subfamily of its own—together with the blue-winged goose, another African species of waterfowl with uncertain affinities. Description On average, Hartlaub's ducks range from 56-58 centimeters in height. This species of duck is monotypic, meaning there is only one type of this species. Juveniles have feathers with pale tips on their breast and abdomen. Their adult coat is fully grown after six months. Adult males weigh between 925 and 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oxyurini
The Oxyurini are a tribe of the duck subfamily of birds, the Anatinae. It has been subject of considerable debate about its validity and circumscription. Some taxonomic authorities place the group in its own subfamily, the ''Oxyurinae''. Most of its members have long, stiff tail feathers which are erected when the bird is at rest, and relatively large, swollen bills. Though their relationships are still enigmatic, they appear to be closer to swans and true geese than to the typical ducks. The highest diversity is found in the warmer parts of the Americas, but at least one species occurs in a major part of the world. Their Morphology (biology), habitus resembles a freshwater diving duck, particularly when moving on dry land. Their legs are set far back, making them awkward walkers, so they rarely leave the water. When at rest, their tails are a notable difference, and in the water they often swim very deep-set. Their unusual courtship displays involve drumming noises from inflatabl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
