Salvadori's Teal
Encyclopedia
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.
Initially, it was believed to belong to the "perching duck
s", a paraphyletic assemblage of species which generally fell between dabbling ducks and shelduck
s. With the breaking-up of the "perching ducks", it was rather provisionally placed in the dabbling duck genus Anas. It was then reinstated in its own genus and moved to the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae, which also contains the Torrent Duck
and Blue Duck
which convergently
have evolved adaptations to mountain stream habitat. All or some of these species may actually be surviving lineages of an ancient Gondwana
n radiation of waterfowl (Sraml et al. 1996).
It has a dark brown head and neck, and its body is barred and spotted dark brown and off white, with orange legs and a yellow bill.
It is a secretive inhabitant of fast-flowing stream
s and alpine lake
s between 500 and 3.700m in the mountains. It is one of only four waterfowl
species that are adapted to life on fast-flowing river
s, the other being the Torrent
, the Blue
and Harlequin Duck
. It is an omnivore. It locates its nest near water, and lays 2 to 4 eggs in the dry season. The Salvadori's Teal is the sole endemic
duck
species of the island of New Guinea. The IUCN has listed the bird as vulnerable
, and the total population may be slowly declining.
The name commemorates the Italian
naturalist
Tommaso Salvadori
.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of bird native to New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. It is placed in the monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
genus
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...
Salvadorina.
Initially, it was believed to belong to the "perching duck
Perching duck
The perching ducks were previously treated as a small group of ducks in the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae, grouped together on the basis of their readiness to perch high in trees...
s", a paraphyletic assemblage of species which generally fell between dabbling ducks and shelduck
Shelduck
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....
s. With the breaking-up of the "perching ducks", it was rather provisionally placed in the dabbling duck genus Anas. It was then reinstated in its own genus and moved to the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae, which also contains the Torrent Duck
Torrent Duck
The Torrent Duck 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...
and Blue Duck
Blue Duck
The Blue Duck 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...
which convergently
Convergent evolution
Convergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages.The wing is a classic example of convergent evolution in action. Although their last common ancestor did not have wings, both birds and bats do, and are capable of powered flight. The wings are...
have evolved adaptations to mountain stream habitat. All or some of these species may actually be surviving lineages of an ancient Gondwana
Gondwana
In paleogeography, Gondwana , originally Gondwanaland, was the southernmost of two supercontinents that later became parts of the Pangaea supercontinent. It existed from approximately 510 to 180 million years ago . Gondwana is believed to have sutured between ca. 570 and 510 Mya,...
n radiation of waterfowl (Sraml et al. 1996).
It has a dark brown head and neck, and its body is barred and spotted dark brown and off white, with orange legs and a yellow bill.
It is a secretive inhabitant of fast-flowing stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
s and alpine lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s between 500 and 3.700m in the mountains. It is one of only four waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
species that are adapted to life on fast-flowing river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
s, the other being the Torrent
Torrent Duck
The Torrent Duck 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...
, the Blue
Blue Duck
The Blue Duck 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...
and Harlequin Duck
Harlequin Duck
The Harlequin Duck is a small sea duck. It takes its name from Arlecchino, Harlequin in French, a colourfully 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...
. It is an omnivore. It locates its nest near water, and lays 2 to 4 eggs in the dry season. The Salvadori's Teal is the sole endemic
Endemism in birds
An endemic bird area is a region of the world that contains two or more restricted-range species, while a "secondary area" contains one or more restricted-range species. Both terms were devised by Birdlife International....
duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
species of the island of New Guinea. The IUCN has listed the bird as vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
, and the total population may be slowly declining.
The name commemorates the Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
naturalist
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
Tommaso Salvadori
Tommaso Salvadori
Count Adelardo Tommaso Salvadori Paleotti was an Italian zoologist and ornithologist.Salvadori was born in Porto San Giorgio, son of Count Luigi Salvadori and Ethel. He took an early interest in birds and published a catalogue of the birds of Sardinia in 1862...
.
External links
- BirdLife Species Factsheet. Retrieved 2006-DEC-02.