Mergus
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 Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)
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Mergus[1] is a genus of ducks in the seaduck subfamily Merginae. For an overview of the duck, goose and swan family of birds, see Anatidae.
Although they are seaducks, most of the mergansers prefer riverine habitats, only Red-breasted Merganser being common on the sea. These large fish-eaters have serrated edges to their bills to help them grip their prey. Along with the Smew and Hooded Merganser, they are therefore often known as "sawbills".
[edit] Species
- Auckland Islands Merganser, Mergus australis (extinct, c.1902)
- Common Merganser, Mergus merganser
- Brazilian Merganser, Mergus octosetaceus
- Red-breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator
- Chinese Merganser, Mergus squamatus
Fossil species that have been described are Mergus miscellus from the Middle Miocene Calvert Formation (c. 14 mya, Barstovian) of Virginia, USA and Mergus connectens (Middle Pleistocene of C Europe or somewhere between 800.000 and 125.000 years ago). An undescribed fossil merganser is documented from the Middle Miocene Sajóvölgyi Formation (Late Badenian, 13-12 mya) of Mátraszõlõs, Hungary (Gál et al. 1998-99).
[edit] References
- Arnott, W. G. (1964): Notes on Gavia and Mergvs in Latin Authors. Classical Quarterly, New Series 14(2): 249-262. First page image
- Gál, Erika; Hír, János; Kessler, Eugén & Kókay, József (1998-99): Középsõ-miocén õsmaradványok, a Mátraszõlõs, Rákóczi-kápolna alatti útbevágásból. I. A Mátraszõlõs 1. lelõhely [Middle Miocene fossils from the sections at the Rákóczi chapel at Mátraszőlős. Locality Mátraszõlõs I.]. Folia Historico Naturalia Musei Matraensis 23: 33-78. [Hungarian with English abstract] PDF fulltext
