Anas chlorotis ssp. peculiaris (South Island Brown Teal)

[surroundx]

The South Island form of the Brown teal (Anas chlorotis) is now believed to be extinct, though it is not officially listed as such yet as there remains the possibilitity of pure individuals persisting somewhere on the island.

Sources:

article.wn.com/view/2013/11/15/Rarer_pateke_all_but_extinct/#/related_news
www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/9402831/Rarer-pateke-all-but-extinct

[Melanie]

The question is whether the South Island form is a distinct subspecies.

[surroundx]

Nov 16, 2013 14:24:35 GMT Melanie said:

The question is whether the South Island form is a distinct subspecies.

Southey and Mitchmough (2000) found that birds from the North Island were closer to those from the Chatham Islands, with birds from the south of the South Island being an outgroup (i.e. a separate taxon). The single known preserved specimen from the north of the South Island is different again, though whether it is typical of birds from that location is not know given the miniscule sample size.

Southey, I. and Hitchmough, R. (2000). Morphological variation in New Zealand brown teal (Anas chlorotis). Conservation Advisory Science Notes No. 325, Department of Conservation, Wellington.

[Sebbe]

There is actually a name available for the South Island population. It was described as Elasmonetta chlorotis peculiaris by Mathews (1937) from Lake Wakatipu. Valid name today would be Anas chlorotis peculiaris

This species is however considered to be Monotypic by most relevant authorities including Gill et al. (2010; Checklist of the birds of New Zealand and the Ross Dependency, Antarctica 4th Edition), HMW4, HBW/Birdlife, IOC and Clements.

[surroundx]

Cole, Theresa L. and Wood, Jamie R. (2017). Hybridisation in the last remaining individuals of the extinct Fiordland population of Brown Teal (Anas chlorotis). Records of the Canterbury Museum 31: 159-165.