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Blue pigeon

February 15, 2024

The blue pigeons are a genus, Alectroenas, of birds in the dove and pigeon family Columbidae. They are native to islands in the western Indian Ocean.

Blue pigeon
Seychelles blue pigeon
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
Subfamily: Treroninae
Genus: Alectroenas
G.R. Gray, 1840
Species

see text

Taxonomy and evolution edit

The genus Alectroenas was first described in 1840 by the English zoologist George Robert Gray with the Mauritius blue pigeon (Alectroenas nitidissimus) as the type species.[1][2] The genus name combines the Ancient Greek alektruōn, meaning "domestic cock", and oinas, meaning "pigeon".[3]

The Alectroenas blue pigeons are closely interrelated and occur widely throughout islands in the western Indian Ocean. They are allopatric and can therefore be regarded as a superspecies.[4] There are three extant species: the Madagascar blue pigeon, the Comoros blue pigeon, and the Seychelles blue pigeon.[5] The three Mascarene islands were home to one species each, which are all extinct; the Mauritius blue pigeon, the Rodrigues blue pigeon, and the Réunion blue pigeon.[6] The blue pigeons perhaps colonised the Mascarenes, the Seychelles or a now submerged hot spot island by "island hopping" and evolved into a distinct genus there before reaching Madagascar.[7] Their closest genetic relative is the cloven-feathered dove, Drepanoptila holosericea, of New Caledonia, which they separated from 8–9 million years ago.[8] Their ancestral group appears to be the fruit doves (Ptilinopus) of Southeast Asia and Oceania.[9]

The genus contains five extant or recently extinct species:[10]

Species possibly in the genus edit

Two species that became extinct in prehistoric times may have belonged to this genus:

The Rodrigues pigeon (Nesoenas rodericana), now extinct, was once assigned to the genus Alectroenas, but this is now believed to be erroneous. In reality, it probably belongs to an undescribed genus, as the sternum's shape is very dissimilar in its details to that of Alectroenas or Columba, and indeed to any other living genus of pigeons and doves. It is most similar to that of the Gallicolumba ground doves or to a miniature version of the sternum of a Ducula imperial pigeon.

The Réunion blue pigeon is known from the description of a slaty-blue feathered pigeon on Réunion, given by Dubois in 1674.

Dubois' description is as follows:

"...wild pigeons, everywhere full with them, some with slaty-coloured feathering, the others russet-red. They are a little larger than the European pigeons, and have larger bills, red at the end close to the head, the eyes ringed with the colour of fire, like pheasants. There is a season when they are so fat that one can no longer see their cloaca. They are very good tasting. Wood-pigeons and turtle-doves, as one sees in Europe and as good."

Dubois mentions "wild pigeons, everywhere full with them, some with slaty-coloured feathering" which likely refences the Réunion blue pigeon.[11] Since the Réunion blue pigeon was only mentioned by Dubois, little is known about its extinction. The Réunion blue pigeon likely survived after 1683 and maybe even until 1703. Jean Feuilley mentioned that all native pigeons were extinct in 1705. It is possible that invasive species such as cats and rats could have caused their extinction.

Description edit

Compared to other pigeons, the blue pigeons are medium to large, stocky, and have comparatively long wings and tails. They all have distinct mobile hackles on the head and neck. The tibiotarsus is comparatively long and the tarsometatarsus is short.[12]

References edit

  1. ^ Gray, George Robert (1840). A List of the Genera of Birds : with an Indication of the Typical Species of Each Genus. London: R. and J.E. Taylor. p. 58.
  2. ^ Peters, James Lee, ed. (1937). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 3. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 40.
  3. ^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 41. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
  4. ^ Goodwin, D. 1983, Pigeons and Doves of the World, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York.
  5. ^ Shelley, G. E. (1883). "On the Columbidae of the Ethiopian Region". Ibis. 5th series. 1 (3): 258–331. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1883.tb07172.x.
  6. ^ Hume, J. P.; Walters, M. (2012). Extinct Birds. London: A & C Black. pp. 134–136. ISBN 978-1-4081-5725-1.
  7. ^ Cheke, A. S.; Hume, J. P. (2008). Lost Land of the Dodo: an Ecological History of Mauritius, Réunion & Rodrigues. New Haven and London: T. & A. D. Poyser. pp. 22–115. ISBN 978-0-7136-6544-4.
  8. ^ Pereira, S. L.; Johnson, K. P.; Clayton, D. H.; Baker, A. J. (2007). "Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences support a Cretaceous origin of Columbiformes and a dispersal-driven radiation in the Paleogene". Systematic Biology. 56 (4): 656–672. doi:10.1080/10635150701549672. PMID 17661233.
  9. ^ Shapiro, B.; Sibthorpe, D.; Rambaut, A.; Austin, J.; Wragg, G. M.; Bininda-Emonds, O. R. P.; Lee, P. L. M.; Cooper, A. (2002). "Flight of the Dodo" (PDF). Science. 295 (5560): 1683. doi:10.1126/science.295.5560.1683. PMID 11872833. Supplementary information (HTML abstract) Free PDF 2006-09-25 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (2020). "Pigeons". IOC World Bird List Version 10.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  11. ^ Anthony S. Cheke & Julian Hume (2008). Lost Land of the Dodo: an Ecological History of Mauritius, Réunion & Rodrigues. T. & A. D. Poyser. ISBN 978-0-7136-6544-4.
  12. ^ Hume, J.P. (2011). "Systematics, morphology, and ecology of pigeons and doves (Aves: Columbidae) of the Mascarene Islands, with three new species". Zootaxa. 3124 (1): 1–62. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3124.1.1. First page

External links edit

  • Blue pigeons at African Bird Club

February 15, 2024
blue, pigeon, blue, pigeons, genus, alectroenas, birds, dove, pigeon, family, columbidae, they, native, islands, western, indian, ocean, seychelles, blue, pigeonscientific, classificationdomain, eukaryotakingdom, animaliaphylum, chordataclass, avesorder, colum. The blue pigeons are a genus Alectroenas of birds in the dove and pigeon family Columbidae They are native to islands in the western Indian Ocean Blue pigeonSeychelles blue pigeonScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder ColumbiformesFamily ColumbidaeSubfamily TreroninaeGenus AlectroenasG R Gray 1840Speciessee text Contents 1 Taxonomy and evolution 1 1 Species possibly in the genus 2 Description 3 References 4 External linksTaxonomy and evolution editThe genus Alectroenas was first described in 1840 by the English zoologist George Robert Gray with the Mauritius blue pigeon Alectroenas nitidissimus as the type species 1 2 The genus name combines the Ancient Greek alektruōn meaning domestic cock and oinas meaning pigeon 3 The Alectroenas blue pigeons are closely interrelated and occur widely throughout islands in the western Indian Ocean They are allopatric and can therefore be regarded as a superspecies 4 There are three extant species the Madagascar blue pigeon the Comoros blue pigeon and the Seychelles blue pigeon 5 The three Mascarene islands were home to one species each which are all extinct the Mauritius blue pigeon the Rodrigues blue pigeon and the Reunion blue pigeon 6 The blue pigeons perhaps colonised the Mascarenes the Seychelles or a now submerged hot spot island by island hopping and evolved into a distinct genus there before reaching Madagascar 7 Their closest genetic relative is the cloven feathered dove Drepanoptila holosericea of New Caledonia which they separated from 8 9 million years ago 8 Their ancestral group appears to be the fruit doves Ptilinopus of Southeast Asia and Oceania 9 The genus contains five extant or recently extinct species 10 Mauritius blue pigeon Alectroenas nitidissimus extinct Madagascar blue pigeon Alectroenas madagascariensis Comoros blue pigeon Alectroenas sganzini Seychelles blue pigeon Alectroenas pulcherrimus Providence blue pigeon Alectroenas sp Species possibly in the genus edit Two species that became extinct in prehistoric times may have belonged to this genus Rodrigues blue pigeon Alectroenas payandeei Reunion blue pigeon Alectroenas sp The Rodrigues pigeon Nesoenas rodericana now extinct was once assigned to the genus Alectroenas but this is now believed to be erroneous In reality it probably belongs to an undescribed genus as the sternum s shape is very dissimilar in its details to that of Alectroenas or Columba and indeed to any other living genus of pigeons and doves It is most similar to that of the Gallicolumba ground doves or to a miniature version of the sternum of a Ducula imperial pigeon The Reunion blue pigeon is known from the description of a slaty blue feathered pigeon on Reunion given by Dubois in 1674 Dubois description is as follows wild pigeons everywhere full with them some with slaty coloured feathering the others russet red They are a little larger than the European pigeons and have larger bills red at the end close to the head the eyes ringed with the colour of fire like pheasants There is a season when they are so fat that one can no longer see their cloaca They are very good tasting Wood pigeons and turtle doves as one sees in Europe and as good Dubois mentions wild pigeons everywhere full with them some with slaty coloured feathering which likely refences the Reunion blue pigeon 11 Since the Reunion blue pigeon was only mentioned by Dubois little is known about its extinction The Reunion blue pigeon likely survived after 1683 and maybe even until 1703 Jean Feuilley mentioned that all native pigeons were extinct in 1705 It is possible that invasive species such as cats and rats could have caused their extinction Description editCompared to other pigeons the blue pigeons are medium to large stocky and have comparatively long wings and tails They all have distinct mobile hackles on the head and neck The tibiotarsus is comparatively long and the tarsometatarsus is short 12 References edit Gray George Robert 1840 A List of the Genera of Birds with an Indication of the Typical Species of Each Genus London R and J E Taylor p 58 Peters James Lee ed 1937 Check List of Birds of the World Vol 3 Cambridge Massachusetts Harvard University Press p 40 Jobling James A 2010 The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names London Christopher Helm p 41 ISBN 978 1 4081 2501 4 Goodwin D 1983 Pigeons and Doves of the World Cornell University Press Ithaca New York Shelley G E 1883 On the Columbidae of the Ethiopian Region Ibis 5th series 1 3 258 331 doi 10 1111 j 1474 919X 1883 tb07172 x Hume J P Walters M 2012 Extinct Birds London A amp C Black pp 134 136 ISBN 978 1 4081 5725 1 Cheke A S Hume J P 2008 Lost Land of the Dodo an Ecological History of Mauritius Reunion amp Rodrigues New Haven and London T amp A D Poyser pp 22 115 ISBN 978 0 7136 6544 4 Pereira S L Johnson K P Clayton D H Baker A J 2007 Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences support a Cretaceous origin of Columbiformes and a dispersal driven radiation in the Paleogene Systematic Biology 56 4 656 672 doi 10 1080 10635150701549672 PMID 17661233 Shapiro B Sibthorpe D Rambaut A Austin J Wragg G M Bininda Emonds O R P Lee P L M Cooper A 2002 Flight of the Dodo PDF Science 295 5560 1683 doi 10 1126 science 295 5560 1683 PMID 11872833 Supplementary information HTML abstract Free PDF Archived 2006 09 25 at the Wayback Machine Supplementary information Gill Frank Donsker David Rasmussen Pamela eds 2020 Pigeons IOC World Bird List Version 10 1 International Ornithologists Union Retrieved 11 March 2020 Anthony S Cheke amp Julian Hume 2008 Lost Land of the Dodo an Ecological History of Mauritius Reunion amp Rodrigues T amp A D Poyser ISBN 978 0 7136 6544 4 Hume J P 2011 Systematics morphology and ecology of pigeons and doves Aves Columbidae of the Mascarene Islands with three new species Zootaxa 3124 1 1 62 doi 10 11646 zootaxa 3124 1 1 First pageExternal links editBlue pigeons at African Bird Club Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Blue pigeon amp oldid 1206968266, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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