Blue duck
The blue duck or whio (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos) is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae . It is endemic to New Zealand. It is the only member of the genus Hymenolaimus.
| Blue duck | |
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_at_Staglands,_Akatarawa,_New_Zealand.jpg)
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| Blue duck at Staglands, Akatarawa Valley | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Family: | Anatidae |
| Genus: | Hymenolaimus G.R. Gray, 1843 |
| Species: | H. malacorhynchos
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| Binomial name | |
| Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos (Gmelin, 1789)
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| Synonyms | |
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Hymenolaimus malacorhynchus ssp. malacorhynchus (Gmelin, 1789) – Collar et al. (1994) | |
It appears to be most closely related to the tribe Anatini, the dabbling ducks, but its exact taxonomy is unknown.
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Blue Duck Media
1888 illustration of the beak and head of the blue duck
Male Whio/Blue Duck in the wild on the West Coast, NZ. On the Mikonui River, according to caption in en:WP, which seems reliable.
Blue duck family in Hawke's Bay
A breeding pair in the wild, in Fiordland National Park (2017).
References
- ↑ BirdLife International (2016). "Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22680121A92844858. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22680121A92844858.en.
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