Seychelles Chestnut-sided White-eye
Encyclopedia
The Seychelles Chestnut-sided White-eye (Zosterops mayottensis semiflava) is an extinct subspecies
of the Chestnut-sided White-eye
(Zosterops mayottensis) which still occurs on the Comoros
island of Mayotte
. At the first scientific discussion by Edward Newton
in 1867 it was regarded as full species Zosterops semiflava. It had reached a size of 10 cm, the wing length was 5.8 to 6.3 cm, the length of the tail was 3.8 cm and the length of the culmen 1.1 to 1.2 cm. It was generally greenish yellow with chestnut-coloured flanks and a conspicuous white eye-ring. The forehead and a line above the eyes were yellow. The top of the head and the back were yellow olive. The wings and the tail were black and the underparts were pale yellow. Nothing is known about its ecology. It is known with certainty only from the small granitic islet of Marianne Island
(0,962 sqm) in the Seychelles
about 6 km east of La Digue
. Reports that is was also occurred on Praslin
, La Digue
, Silhouette Island
and Mahé
are unconfirmed. Due to the hard habitat destruction and the agricultural needs it became apparently extinct between 1870 and 1900 (according to IUCN around 1888). An expedition in 1940 led by Irish zoologist Leslie Desmond Foster Vesey-Fitzgerald failed. There is one specimen in the Natural History Museum
in London.
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the Chestnut-sided White-eye
Chestnut-sided White-eye
The Chestnut-sided White-eye is a species of bird in the Zosteropidae family. It is now found only on Mayotte in the Comoro Islands...
(Zosterops mayottensis) which still occurs on the Comoros
Comoro Islands
The Comoros Islands form an archipelago of volcanic islands situated off the south-east coast of Africa, to the east of Mozambique and north-west of Madagascar. They are divided between the sovereign state of Comoros and the French overseas department of Mayotte...
island of Mayotte
Mayotte
Mayotte is an overseas department and region of France consisting of a main island, Grande-Terre , a smaller island, Petite-Terre , and several islets around these two. The archipelago is located in the northern Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean, namely between northwestern Madagascar and...
. At the first scientific discussion by Edward Newton
Edward Newton
Sir Edward Newton KCMG was a British colonial administrator and ornithologist.He was born at Elveden Hall, Suffolk the sixth and youngest son of William Newton, MP. He was the brother of ornithologist Alfred Newton....
in 1867 it was regarded as full species Zosterops semiflava. It had reached a size of 10 cm, the wing length was 5.8 to 6.3 cm, the length of the tail was 3.8 cm and the length of the culmen 1.1 to 1.2 cm. It was generally greenish yellow with chestnut-coloured flanks and a conspicuous white eye-ring. The forehead and a line above the eyes were yellow. The top of the head and the back were yellow olive. The wings and the tail were black and the underparts were pale yellow. Nothing is known about its ecology. It is known with certainty only from the small granitic islet of Marianne Island
Marianne Island
Marianne Island is a small granitic island of the Seychelles. It is located 3.8 km ESE of Félecité Island. The island was a former coconut plantation, and on the western side of the island is a long beach. The southern tip of Marianne is known as a world-class diving location...
(0,962 sqm) in the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
about 6 km east of La Digue
La Digue
La Digue is the fourth largest inhabited island of the Seychelles, lying east of Praslin and west of Felicite Island. It has a population of about 2,000 people, who mostly live in the west coast villages of La Passe and La Réunion. It has an area of 10 km²...
. Reports that is was also occurred on Praslin
Praslin
Praslin is the second largest island of the Seychelles, lying 44 km north east of Mahé. Praslin has a population of around 6,500 people and comprises two administrative districts; Baie Sainte Anne and Grand' Anse . The main settlements are the Baie Ste Anne, Anse Volbert and Grand' Anse.It was...
, La Digue
La Digue
La Digue is the fourth largest inhabited island of the Seychelles, lying east of Praslin and west of Felicite Island. It has a population of about 2,000 people, who mostly live in the west coast villages of La Passe and La Réunion. It has an area of 10 km²...
, Silhouette Island
Silhouette Island
Silhouette Island lies 20 km northwest of Mahé in the Seychelles. It is the third largest island in the Seychelles. It has an area of 20 km² and has a population of 135, mostly workers on the island. The main settlement is La Passe, where there is a hotel for visitors to Silhouette...
and Mahé
Mahé, Seychelles
Mahé is the largest island of the Seychelles, lying in the north east of the nation. The population of Mahé is 80,000. It contains the capital city of Victoria and accommodates 90% of the country's total population...
are unconfirmed. Due to the hard habitat destruction and the agricultural needs it became apparently extinct between 1870 and 1900 (according to IUCN around 1888). An expedition in 1940 led by Irish zoologist Leslie Desmond Foster Vesey-Fitzgerald failed. There is one specimen in the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
in London.