Speckled Teal

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iSpeckled Teal

Sharp-winged Teal (Anas flavirostris)

Conservation status

Least Concern (LC)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Anseriformes
Family:	Anatidae
Genus:	Anas
Species:	A. flavirostris

Binomial name

Anas flavirostris
Vieillot, 1816

Subspecies

A. f. andium
(Andean Teal)
A. f. oxptera
(Sharp-winged Teal)
A. f. altipetens
(Merida Teal)
A. f. flavirostris
(Chilean Teal)

The Speckled Teal (Anas flavirostris) is a duck species of the genus Anas.

mtDNA sequence data is most similar to that of the very different-looking Green-winged Teal (Johnson & Sorenson, 1999); see there for a discussion of the crecca-carolinensis-flavirostris group's phylogeny. Apart from the mystifying relationship with the red-and-green-headed teals, it altogether most resembles the Indian Ocean radiation of teals, though the Yellow-billed Teals' unicolored underside and namesake bill are unique, as is to be expected from a species that evolved half a world apart from Bernier's or the Grey Teal.

This species is unique among its relatives in some aspects of its post-copulation behavior: after dismounting, the drakes stretch themselves up high and swim around and alongsides the females (Johnson et al., 2000).

[edit] References

BirdLife International (2004). Anas flavirostris. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 09 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

Carboneras, Carles (1992): 77. Speckled Teal. In: del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew & Sargatal, Jordi (editors): Handbook of Birds of the World, Volume 1: Ostrich to Ducks: 603, plate 45. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 84-87334-10-5

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

Johnson, Kevin P. McKinney, Frank; Wilson, Robert & Sorenson, Michael D. (2000): The evolution of postcopulatory displays in dabbling ducks (Anatini): a phylogenetic perspective. Animal Behaviour 59(5): 953–963 PDF fulltext