Hemignathus
Genus of birds
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hemignathus is a genus of Hawaiian honeycreepers in the subfamily Carduelinae of the family Fringillidae. All species are endemic to Hawaii.
| Hemignathus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Maui nukupuʻu (Hemignathus affinis) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Fringillidae |
| Subfamily: | Carduelinae |
| Genus: | Hemignathus Lichtenstein, MHC, 1839 |
| Type species | |
| Hemignathus lucidus[1] M.H.C. Lichtenstein, 1839 | |
| Species | |
|
See text | |
Extinctions
Many of its species became extinct during the 19th and 20th centuries due to a combination of habitat destruction, introduced predators, and most importantly mosquito-borne diseases. The ʻakiapōlāʻau (Hemignathus wilsoni) may be the last surviving species in the genus.
One species, the giant nukupu'u (Hemignathus vorpalis), is known only from fossils, and became extinct in prehistoric times when Polynesian settlers deforested the lowlands for agriculture.
Taxonomy
There are 5 species in this genus, 4 of which are extinct or possibly extinct:
- Maui nukupuʻu, Hemignathus affinis - critically endangered or extinct, debated 1896 or 1990s[2]
- Kauaʻi nukupuʻu, Hemignathus hanapepe - critically endangered or extinct, debated 1899 or 1990s[3]
- Oʻahu nukupuʻu, Hemignathus lucidus - extinct, 1800s[4]
- Giant nukupuʻu, Hemignathus vorpalis - extinct, Holocene[5]
- ʻAkiapolaʻau, Hemignathus wilsoni
