Aythya
Encyclopedia
Aythya is a genus
of diving duck
s. It has twelve described species.
Aythya shihuibas was described from the Late Miocene
of China
. An undescribed prehistoric species is known only from Early Pleistocene
fossil
remains found at Dursunlu, Turkey
; it might however be referrable to a paleosubspecies of an extant species considering its age (see also Greater Scaup
).
The Miocene
"Aythya" arvernensis is now placed in Mionetta, while "Aythya" chauvirae seems to contain the remains of 2 species, at least one of which does not seem to be a diving duck.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of diving duck
Diving duck
The diving ducks, commonly called pochards or scaups, are a category of duck which feed by diving beneath the surface of the water. They are part of the diverse and very large Anatidae family that includes ducks, geese, and swans....
s. It has twelve described species.
Aythya shihuibas was described from the Late Miocene
Late Miocene
The Late Miocene is a sub-epoch of the Miocene Epoch made up of two stages. The Tortonian and Messinian stages comprise the Late Miocene sub-epoch....
of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. An undescribed prehistoric species is known only from Early Pleistocene
Early Pleistocene
Calabrian is a subdivision of the Pleistocene Epoch of the Geologic time scale. ~1.8 Ma.—781,000 years ago ± 5,000 years, a period of ~.The end of the stage is defined by the last magnetic pole reversal and plunge in to an ice age and global drying possibly colder and drier than the late Miocene ...
fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
remains found at Dursunlu, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
; it might however be referrable to a paleosubspecies of an extant species considering its age (see also Greater Scaup
Greater Scaup
The Greater Scaup , just Scaup in Europe, or colloquially known as "Bluebill", for its bright blue bill, is small compared to other diving ducks, however it is larger than the closely related Lesser Scaup...
).
The Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
"Aythya" arvernensis is now placed in Mionetta, while "Aythya" chauvirae seems to contain the remains of 2 species, at least one of which does not seem to be a diving duck.
Species
Listed alphabetically.- Aythya affinis Lesser ScaupLesser ScaupThe Lesser Scaup is a small North American diving duck that migrates south as far as Central America in winter. It is colloquially known as the Little Bluebill or Broadbill because of its distinctive blue bill...
- Aythya americana RedheadRedhead (duck)The Redhead is a medium-sized diving duck, 37 cm long with an 84 cm wingspan.The adult male has a blue bill, a red head and neck, a black breast, yellow eyes and a grey back. The adult female has a brown head and body and a darker bluish bill with a black tip.The breeding habitat is...
- Aythya australis HardheadHardheadThe Hardhead, Aythya australis, is the only true diving duck found in Australia. Hardheads are common in the south-east of Australia, particularly in the Murray-Darling Basin, but also in the wetter country near the coasts. They are moderately nomadic in normal years, but disperse widely in times...
- Aythya baeri Baer's PochardBaer's PochardBaer's Pochard is a diving duck found in eastern Asia. It breeds in southeast Russia and northeast China, migrating in winter to southern China, Vietnam, Japan, and India. The name commemorates the Estonian naturalist Karl Ernst von Baer.At 41–46 cm, it is similar in size and stance to its...
- Aythya collaris Ring-necked DuckRing-necked DuckThe Ring-necked Duck is a smaller diving duck from North America.The adult male is similar in color pattern to the Eurasian Tufted Duck, its relative. It has a grey bill with a white band, a shiny purple head, a white breast, yellow eyes and a dark grey back...
- Aythya ferina Common Pochard
- Aythya fuligula Tufted DuckTufted DuckThe Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula, is a medium-sized diving duck with a population of close to one million birds.- Description :The adult male is all black except for white flanks and a blue-grey bill. It has an obvious head tuft that gives the species its name.The adult female is brown with paler...
- Aythya innotata Madagascar PochardMadagascar PochardThe Madagascar Pochard is an extremely rare diving duck of the genus Aythya, previously thought extinct. Prior to a rediscovery in 2006, the last confirmed sighting of the species was at Lake Alaotra on the Central Plateau of Madagascar in 1991...
- Aythya marila Greater ScaupGreater ScaupThe Greater Scaup , just Scaup in Europe, or colloquially known as "Bluebill", for its bright blue bill, is small compared to other diving ducks, however it is larger than the closely related Lesser Scaup...
- Aythya novaeseelandiae New Zealand ScaupNew Zealand ScaupThe New Zealand Scaup commonly known as a Black teal, is a diving duck species of the genus Aythya. It is endemic to New Zealand. In Maori commonly known as papango, also matapouri, titiporangi, raipo .-Description:...
- Aythya nyroca Ferruginous DuckFerruginous DuckThe Ferruginous Duck is a medium-sized diving duck from Eurasia. The species is known colloquially by birders as "Fudge Duck"....
- Aythya valisineria CanvasbackCanvasbackThe Canvasback is the largest of the North American diving ducks, that ranges from between long and weighs approximately , with a wingspan of . The canvasback has a distinctive wedge-shaped head and long graceful neck. The adult male has a black bill, a chestnut red head and neck, a black...