Hartlaub's Duck
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| Pteronetta hartlaubii (Cassin, 1859) |
Hartlaub's Duck (Pteronetta hartlaubii) is a dark rich chestnut duck of African forests. Formerly included in the paraphyletic "perching duck" assemblage, it was moved to the dabbling ducks later[citation needed]. However, it is fairly distinct from the usual dabbling ducks, being placed in the monotypic genus Pteronetta to reflect this.
Analysis of mtDNA sequences of the cytochrome b and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 genes (Johnson & Sorenson, 1999) suggests that it belongs into a very distinct clade - possibly a subfamily of their own - together with the Blue-winged Goose, another African species of waterfowl with uncertain affinities. Remarkably, the upper wing plumage pattern - perhaps the one reliable morphological marker for relationships in the ducks and their close relatives - is not only nearly alike in both species, but unique among all living waterfowl (Madge & Burn, 1987).
Hartlaub's Duck is resident in equatorial West and Central Africa, from Guinea and Sierra Leone east through Nigeria to Sudan, and south to Gabon, Congo and Zaire.
This bird is named after the German naturalist Gustav Hartlaub.
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2005). Pteronetta hartlaubii. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
- Johnson, Kevin P. & Sorenson, Michael D. (1999): Phylogeny and biogeography of dabbling ducks (genus Anas): a comparison of molecular and morphological evidence. Auk 116(3): 792–805. PDF fulltext
- Madge, Steve & Burn, Hilary (1987): Wildfowl : an identification guide to the ducks, geese and swans of the world. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 0-7136-3999-7
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