Tag Archives: Uiha

Didunculus placopedetes Steadman

Tongan Tooth-billed Pigeon (Didunculus placopedetes)

The Tongan Tooth-billed Pigeon was described in 2006 based on subfossil remains that were found on several islands within the Tongan island chain, including the islands of ‘Eua, Ha’afeva, Ha’ano, Lifuka, Tongatapu, and ‘Uiha.

The species was larger than the closely related and now also almost extinct Tooth-billed Pigeon (Didunculus strigirostris (Jardine)) (see depiction) that is just holding on at least on island of Western Samoa.

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Depiction from: John Gould. The birds of Australia. London: printed by R. and J. E. Taylor; pub. by the author 1840-48

(public domain)

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References:

[1] D. W. Steadman: An extinct species of tooth-billed pigeon (Didunculus) from the Kingdom of Tonga, and the concept of endemism in insular landbirds. Journal of Zoology 268(3): 233-241. 2006

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edited: 20.08.2022

Eclectus infectus ssp. infectus Steadman

Oceanic Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus infectus ssp. infectus)

The Oceanic Eclectus Parrot was described in 2006 based on subfossil remains that were recovered from archaeological sites in Tonga and Vanuatu.

The species almost certainly has survived into the late 18th century, because it apparently was depicted by an unknown artist during Alessandro Malaspina’s Pacific Expedition in 1793 (see depiction below) on the island of ‘Uta Vava’u, Tonga.

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References:

[1] David W. Steadman: A new species of extinct parrot (Psittacidae: Eclectus) from Tonga and Vanuatu, South Pacific. Pacific Science 60(1): 137-145. 2006

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Depiction made during the Malaspina Expedition between 1789 & 1794

(public domain)

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edited: 19.05.2022