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Waterbird redirects here. See also shorebirds and seabirds. Waders, called shorebirds in North America (where "wader" is used to refer to long-legged wading Birds such as Storks and Seabirds are Birds that have adapted to life within the marine environment
Ducks, geese and swans
Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)
Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Subclass: Neornithes
Infraclass: Galloanserae
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Vigors, 1825
Subfamilies

Anatinae
Anserinae
Aythyinae
Dendrocygninae
Merginae
Oxyurinae
Plectropterinae
Stictonettinae
Tadorninae
Thalassorninae
and see text

Anatidae is the biological family that includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. The Black-bellied Whistling-duck ( Dendrocygna autumnalis) formerly also called Black-bellied Tree Duck, is a Whistling-duck that breeds Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. Modern birds (subclass Neornithes) are the members of class Aves that have survived into recent times and have coexisted with Humans Modern birds are Most or all Birds collectively referred to as fowl belong to one of two orders namely the gamefowl or landfowl ( Galliformes) and the waterfowl The order Anseriformes contains about 150 living Species of Birds in three extant families the Anhimidae (the screamers Anseranatidae Nicholas Aylward Vigors (1785 &ndash October 26, 1840) was an Irish Zoologist and Politician. The Anatinae is a Subfamily of the family Anatidae ( Swans geese and Ducks. The Anserinae is a Subfamily in the Waterfowl family Anatidae. The 15 or so living species of diving duck, commonly called pochards or scaups, are part of the diverse and very large Duck, Goose Dendrocygninae is a Subfamily of the Duck, Goose and Swan family of Birds Anatidae. Oxyurinae is a Subfamily of the Duck, Goose and Swan family of Birds Anatidae. The Spur-winged Goose, ( Plectropterus gambensis) is a large Bird in the family Anatidae, related to the geese and the shelducks The Freckled Duck ( Stictonetta naevosa) is a moderately large broad-bodied Duck native to southern Australia. The Tadorninae is the shelduck-sheldgoose Subfamily of the Anatidae, the biological family that includes the Ducks and most duck-like waterfowl The White-backed Duck ( Thalassornis leuconotus) is a Waterbird of the family Anatidae. In Biological classification, family ( Latin For duck as a food see Duck (food; for other meanings see Duck (disambiguation. See also UK Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust USA Ducks Unlimited Goose (plural geese) is the English name for a considerable number of Birds belonging to the family Anatidae. Swans are Birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and Ducks Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in These are birds that are evolutionarily adapted for swimming, floating on the water surface, and in some cases diving in at least shallow water. Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. (The Magpie-goose is no longer considered to be part of the Anatidae, but is placed in its own family Anseranatidae. The Magpie-goose, Anseranas semipalmata, is a Waterbird Species found in Australia and New Guinea. The Magpie-goose, Anseranas semipalmata, is a Waterbird Species found in Australia and New Guinea. )

Extant species range in size from the Cotton Pygmy Goose, at as little as 26. The Cotton Pygmy Goose or the Cotton Teal, Nettapus coromandelianus is a small Perching duck which breeds in India, Pakistan, southeast 5 cm (10. 5 inches) and 164 grams (5. 8 oz), to the Trumpeter Swan, at as much as 183 cm (6 ft) and 17. The Trumpeter Swan, Cygnus buccinator, is the largest native North American bird if measured in terms of weight and length and is (on average the largest waterfowl species 2 kg (38 lb). They have webbed feet and bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent. Webbed toes is the common name for Syndactyly affecting the feet Their feathers are excellent at shedding water due to special oils. Anatidae are remarkable for being one of the few families of birds that possess a penis; they are adapted for copulation on the water only. The penis (plural penises, penes Sexual intercourse, in its biological sense is the act in which the male reproductive organ (in humans and other higher animals enters the female reproductive tract Duck, eider, and goose feathers and down have long been popular for bedspreads, pillows, sleeping bags and coats. The members of this family also have long been used for food.

Humans have had a long relationship with ducks, geese and swans; they are important economically and culturally to humans, and several duck species have benefited from an association with people. On the flip side some anatids are damaging agricultural pests, and have acted as vectors for zoonosis such as avian influenza. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture A pest is an organism which has characteristics that are regarded by Humans as injurious or unwanted A zoonosis (ˌzoʊəˈnoʊsɨs or zoonose is any Infectious disease that is able to be transmitted (by a vector) from other Animals both wild and domestic For the H5N1 subtype of Avian influenza see H5N1. Avian influenza, sometimes Avian flu, and commonly Bird flu refers Numerous ducks and geese have become extinct due to the activities of humans, and many more are currently considered threatened species. In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. Threatened species are any species (including Animals Plants fungi, etc

While the status of the Anatidae as a family is straightforward, and there is little debate about which species properly belong to it, the relationships of the different tribes and subfamilies within it are poorly understood. The listing in the box at right should be regarded as simply one of several possible ways of organising the many species within the Anatidae; see discussion in the next section.

Contents

Systematics

Currently, the systematics of the Anatinae is in a state of flux. Previously divided into six subfamilies, a study of anatomical characters by Livezey[1] suggest that the Anatidae are better treated in nine subfamilies. This classification was popular in the late 1980s to 1990s[2]. But mtDNA sequence analyses[3] indicate that for example the dabbling and diving ducks do not belong in the same subfamily. Mitochondrial DNA ( mtDNA) is the DNA located in Organelles called mitochondria. A DNA sequence or genetic sequence is a succession of letters representing the Primary structure of a real or hypothetical DNA Molecule While there are certainly shortcomings in Livezey's analysis, mtDNA is an unreliable source for phylogenetic information in many waterfowl (especially dabbling ducks) due to their ability to produce fertile hybrids[4], in rare cases possibly even beyond the level of genus (see for example the "Barbary Duck"). In Biology, hybrid has two meanings The first meaning is the result of interbreeding between two animals or plants of different taxa. A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic The Muscovy Duck, Cairina moschata, is a large Duck which is native to Mexico, Central and South America. Due to the small sample size of many molecular studies available to date, mtDNA results must be considered with caution. The sample size of a Statistical sample is the number of observations that constitute it

But while a comprehensive review of the Anatidae which unites all evidence into a robust phylogeny is still lacking, the reasons for the confusing data are at least clear: As demonstrated by the Late Cretaceous fossil Vegavis iaai — an early modern waterbird which belonged to an extinct lineage — the Anatidae are an ancient group among the modern birds. Late Cretaceous (100mya - 65mya refers to the second half of the Cretaceous Period, named after the famous white Chalk cliffs of southern England FOSSIL is a standard protocol for allowing serial communication for Telecommunications programs under the DOS Operating system. Vegavis is a Genus of extinct Bird that lived during the Late Cretaceous ( Maastrichtian stage of Antarctica, some Their earliest direct ancestors, though not documented by fossils yet, likewise can be assumed to have been contemporaries with the dinosaurs. The long period of evolution and shifts from one kind of waterbird lifestyle to another have obscured many plesiomorphies, while apomorphies apparently are quite often the result of parallel evolution, for example the "non-diving duck" type displayed by such unrelated genera as Dendrocygna, Amazonetta, and Cairina. eVolution is the third Album by eLDee, it was due to be released in 2008 Cladistics is the hierarchical classification of Species based on evolutionary ancestry Cladistics is the hierarchical classification of Species based on evolutionary ancestry Parallel evolution is the independent evolution of similar traits starting from a similar ancestral condition due to similar environments or other evolutionary pressures Dendrocygninae is a Subfamily of the Duck, Goose and Swan family of Birds Anatidae. The Brazilian Duck or Brazilian Teal ( Amazonetta brasiliensis) is the only Duck in the genus Amazonetta. Cairina is a Genus of Ducks in the bird family Anatidae. It has two species which are similar anatomically but quite distinct in external For the fossil record, see below.

Alternatively[5], the Anatidae may be considered to consist of 3 subfamilies (ducks, geese, and swans, essentially) which contain the groups as presented here as tribes, with the swans separated as subfamily Cygninae, the goose subfamily Anserinae also containing the whistling ducks, and the Anatinae containing all other clades. In Biology, a tribe &mdashor infrafamily&mdashis a Taxonomic rank between family and Genus. Swans are Birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and Ducks Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in A clade is a taxonomic group comprising a single Common ancestor and all the descendants of that ancestor

Dendrocygninae: whistling ducks

One pantropical genus, of distinctive long-legged goose-like birds:

Thalassorninae: White-backed Duck

One genus in Africa, most closely related to the subfamily Dendrocygninae, though also showing convergent similarities to the subfamily Oxyurinae:

Mute Swan
Mute Swan

Anserinae: swans and geese

Three to seven extant genera with 25-30 living species, mainly cool temperate Northern Hemisphere but also some Southern Hemisphere species, with the swans in one genus (two genera in some treatments), and the geese in three genera (two genera in some treatments). Dendrocygninae is a Subfamily of the Duck, Goose and Swan family of Birds Anatidae. The White-backed Duck ( Thalassornis leuconotus) is a Waterbird of the family Anatidae. The White-backed Duck ( Thalassornis leuconotus) is a Waterbird of the family Anatidae. The Mute Swan ( Cygnus olor) is a Eurasian member of the Duck, Goose and Swan family Anatidae. The Anserinae is a Subfamily in the Waterfowl family Anatidae. Swans are Birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and Ducks Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in Goose (plural geese) is the English name for a considerable number of Birds belonging to the family Anatidae. Some other species are sometimes placed herein, but seem somewhat more distinct (see below):

Stictonettinae: Freckled Duck

One genus in Australia, formerly included in the Oxyurinae, but with anatomy suggesting a distinct ancient lineage perhaps closest to the Anserinae, especially the Cape Barren Goose:

Plectropterinae: Spur-winged Goose

One genus in Africa, formerly included in the "perching ducks", but closer to the Tadorninae:

Tadorninae: shelducks and sheldgeese

Male Common Shelduck
Male Common Shelduck

This group of larger, often semi-terrestrial waterfowl can be seen as intermediate between Anserinae and Anatinae. Swans are Birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and Ducks Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in See also Grey Goose (disambiguation The Waterfowl Genus Anser includes all grey geese and usually The white geese are a small group of Waterfowl which are united in the Genus or Subgenus Chen, in the true geese and The black geese of the Genus Branta are Waterfowl belonging to the true geese and Swans Subfamily Anserinae The Cape Barren Goose, Cereopsis novaehollandiae is a large Goose resident in southern Australia. The Freckled Duck ( Stictonetta naevosa) is a moderately large broad-bodied Duck native to southern Australia. The Freckled Duck ( Stictonetta naevosa) is a moderately large broad-bodied Duck native to southern Australia. The Spur-winged Goose, ( Plectropterus gambensis) is a large Bird in the family Anatidae, related to the geese and the shelducks The Spur-winged Goose, ( Plectropterus gambensis) is a large Bird in the family Anatidae, related to the geese and the shelducks The Tadorninae is the shelduck-sheldgoose Subfamily of the Anatidae, the biological family that includes the Ducks and most duck-like waterfowl The Common Shelduck ( Tadorna tadorna) is a widespread and common duck of the Genus Tadorna. The 1986 revision[1] and the group in the traditional lineup is likely to be paraphyletic:

A female mallard duck
A female mallard duck

Anatinae: dabbling ducks and moa-nalos

The dabbling duck group, of worldwide distribution, were previously restricted to just one or two genera, but had been extended[1] to include 8 extant genera and about 55 living species, including several genera formerly known as the "perching ducks"; mtDNA on the other hand confirms that the genus Anas is over-lumped and casts doubt on the diving duck affiliations of several genera (see below):

The moa-nalos, of which 4 species in 3 genera are known to date, are a peculiar group of flightless, extinct Anatidae from the Hawaiian Islands. In Phylogenetics, a group of organisms is said to be paraphyletic if the group contains its most recent common ancestor but does not contain all Prehistoric birds are various taxa of Birds that became Extinct before recorded History, or more precisely before they could be studied The Shelducks, genus Tadorna, are a group of large birds in the Tadorninae subfamily of the Anatidae, the biological family In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. The Salvadori's Teal or Salvadori's Duck ( Salvadorina waigiuensis) is a Species of bird native to New Guinea. Prehistoric birds are various taxa of Birds that became Extinct before recorded History, or more precisely before they could be studied The Egyptian Goose ( Alopochen aegyptiacus) is a member of the Duck, Goose and Swan family Anatidae. In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. The Orinoco Goose ( Neochen jubata) is a member of the Duck, Goose and Swan family Anatidae. Chloephaga is the sheldgeese Genus in the bird family Anatidae. Blue Duck ( Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos) is a member of the Duck, Goose and Swan family Anatidae. The Torrent Duck ( Merganetta armata) is a member of the Duck, Goose and Swan family Anatidae. The Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) probably the best-known and most recognizable of all ducks is a Dabbling duck which breeds throughout the Temperate The Anatinae is a Subfamily of the family Anatidae ( Swans geese and Ducks. The Anatinae is a Subfamily of the family Anatidae ( Swans geese and Ducks. Anas is a Genus of Dabbling ducks It includes Mallards Wigeons Teals Pintails and Shovelers in In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. The Crested Duck ( Lophonetta specularioides) is a Species of Duck native to South America, the only member of the Monotypic The Bronze-winged Duck ( Speculanas specularis) also known as the Spectacled Duck, is a Dabbling duck and the sole member of its Genus The Brazilian Duck or Brazilian Teal ( Amazonetta brasiliensis) is the only Duck in the genus Amazonetta. Moa-nalo are a group of Extinct aberrant Goose -like Ducks that formerly lived on the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific. The Hawaiian Islands, once known as the Sandwich Islands, form an Archipelago of 19 Islands and Atolls numerous smaller Gigantic in size and with massive bills, they were believed to be geese, but have been shown to be actually very closely related to mallard. The Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) probably the best-known and most recognizable of all ducks is a Dabbling duck which breeds throughout the Temperate They evolved filling the ecological niche of turtles, ungulates and other megaherbivores. In Ecology, a niche (pronounced nich nēsh or nish A shorthand definition of niche is how an organism makes a living Turtles are Reptiles of the Order Testudines (all living turtles belong to the Crown group Chelonia) most of Ungulates (meaning roughly "being Hoofed quot or "hoofed animal" are several groups of Mammals most of which use the tips of their toes usually Megafauna are species of large Animals ( Greek μεγας large + modern Latin fauna animal

Aythyinae: diving ducks

Some 15 species of diving ducks, of worldwide distribution, in 2-4 genera; The 1986 morphological analysis[1] suggested that the probably extinct Pink-headed Duck of India, previously treated separately in Rhodonessa, should be placed in Netta, but this has been questioned[6]. Prehistoric birds are various taxa of Birds that became Extinct before recorded History, or more precisely before they could be studied Prehistoric birds are various taxa of Birds that became Extinct before recorded History, or more precisely before they could be studied Prehistoric birds are various taxa of Birds that became Extinct before recorded History, or more precisely before they could be studied The 15 or so living species of diving duck, commonly called pochards or scaups, are part of the diverse and very large Duck, Goose The 15 or so living species of diving duck, commonly called pochards or scaups, are part of the diverse and very large Duck, Goose The Pink-headed Duck ( Netta caryophyllacea) is (or was a large Diving duck. Furthermore, while morphologically close to dabbling ducks, the mtDNA data indicates that a treatment as distinct subfamily is indeed correct, with the Tadorninae being actually closer to dabbling ducks than the diving ducks are[7]:

Merginae: eiders, scoters, sawbills and other sea-ducks

Common Goldeneye couple, male on the right.
Common Goldeneye couple, male on the right. Netta is a genus of Diving ducks Unlike other diving ducks the Netta species are reluctant to dive and feed more like Dabbling ducks These In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. Aythya is a Genus of Diving ducks Species Canvasback Aythya valisineria Common Pochard The Common Goldeneye ( Bucephala clangula) is a medium sized Sea duck of the genus Bucephala, the goldeneyes.

There are 9 extant genera and some 20 living species; most of this group occur in the Northern Hemisphere, but a few (mostly extinct) mergansers in the Southern Hemisphere:

Oxyurinae: stiff-tail ducks

A small group of 3-4 genera, 2-3 of them monotypic, with 7-8 living species:

Unresolved

The rare White-winged Wood Duck, a species of unclear affiliation.
The rare White-winged Wood Duck, a species of unclear affiliation. Oxyurinae is a Subfamily of the Duck, Goose and Swan family of Birds Anatidae. The stiff-tailed ducks are part of the Oxyurinae subfamily of Ducks All have as their name implies long stiff Tail Feathers which are The Masked Duck ( Nomonyx dominicus) is a small Stiff-tailed duck ranging through the Tropical Americas. The Musk Duck ( Biziura lobata) is a highly aquatic stiff-tailed Duck native to southern Australia. The Black-headed Duck ( Heteronetta atricapilla) is a South American duck allied to the Stiff-tailed ducks in the Subfamily The White-winged Wood Duck, Cairina scutulata is a species of Duck, usually placed in the Genus Cairina and allied with the
Wood Duck Aix sponsa
Wood Duck Aix sponsa

The largest degree of uncertainty concerns whether a number of genera are closer to the shelducks or to the dabbling ducks. See also Australian Wood Duck. The Wood Duck or Carolina Duck ( Aix sponsa) is a medium-sized Perching duck. See also the monotypic subfamilies above, and the "perching ducks"

From subfossil bones found on Kauaʻi (Hawaiian Islands), two enigmatic waterfowl are known[8]. The Marbled Duck, or Marbled Teal ( Marmaronetta angustirostris) is a medium-sized Duck. Subfossil refers to remains whose Fossilization process is not complete either for lack of time or because the condition in which they were buried were not optimal for fossilization Kauai (in standard Hawaiian kauˈaʔi in Kauai- Ni{{okina}}ihau dialect; usually spelled Kauai outside the Hawaiian Islands and ˈkaʊɑɪ or /kaʊˈɑɪ/ The Hawaiian Islands, once known as the Sandwich Islands, form an Archipelago of 19 Islands and Atolls numerous smaller The living and assignable prehistoric avifauna of the archipelago contains as Anseriformes Branta geese and their descendants, and the moa-nalos as mentioned above. An archipelago (ɑrkəˈpɛləgoʊ is a chain or cluster of Islands The word archipelago literally means "chief Sea " from Italian Moa-nalo are a group of Extinct aberrant Goose -like Ducks that formerly lived on the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific. The following taxa, although certainly new species, cannot be assigned even to subfamily; that Kauaʻi is the oldest of the large Hawaiian Islands, meaning the species may have been evolving in isolation for nearly up to 10 mya (since the Late Miocene), does not help in determining their affinities:

Similarly, Wetmore's Goose (Geochen rhuax) from the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, and a gigantic goose-like anatid from Oʻahu are known only from very incomplete and in the former case much damaged bone fragments. The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island, is a volcanic Island in the U Oahu (usually Oahu outside Hawaiian and Hawaiian English) known as ''"The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the The former has been alleged to be a shelduck[9], but this was generally dismissed because of the damage to the material and biogeographic considerations. Biogeography is the study of the distribution of Biodiversity over Space and Time. The long-legged Kauaʻi bird, however, hints at the possibility of a former tadornine presence on the archipelago.

Fossil Anatidae

The fossil record of anatids is extensive, but many prehistoric genera cannot be unequivocally assigned to present-day subfamilies for the reasons given above. Some (such as Eonessa) seem to belong to subfamilies which are completely extinct. For prehistoric species of extant genera, see the respective genus accounts.

Eonessinae - extinct ancient anatids

Dendrocheninae - a more advanced relative of the whistling-ducks or a more ancestral relative of stifftail ducks paralleling whistling-ducks; probably extinct but Malacorhynchus might belong here

Anserinae

Tadorninae

Anatinae

incertae sedis

Putative or disputed prehistoric anatids are:

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d Livezey (1986)
  2. ^ E. In zoological nomenclature, a nomen dubium ( Latin for "doubtful name" plural nomina dubia) is a scientific name that is g. Madge & Burn (1987)
  3. ^ Sraml et al. (1996), Johnson & Sorenson (1999)
  4. ^ Carboneras (1992)
  5. ^ e. g. Terres & NAS (1991)
  6. ^ Collar et al. (2001)
  7. ^ Johnson & Sorenson (1999)
  8. ^ Burney et al. (2001)
  9. ^ Short (1970)
  10. ^ Gál et al. (1998-99)

References

External links


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