Hoopoe-billed ʻakialoa
Extinct species of bird
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The hoopoe-billed ʻakialoa (Akialoa upupirostris) is an extinct species of Hawaiian honeycreeper in the subfamily Carduelinae of the family Fringillidae. It inhabited the islands of Kauaʻi and Oʻahu in Hawaii.
| Hoopoe-billed ʻakialoa Temporal range: Early Holocene | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Fringillidae |
| Subfamily: | Carduelinae |
| Genus: | †Akialoa |
| Species: | †A. upupirostris |
| Binomial name | |
| †Akialoa upupirostris | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Hemignathus upupirostris | |
Description
Subfossil remains have been found on the Hawaiian islands of Kauaʻi and Oʻahu. The species was apparently slightly larger than others in the genus Akialoa. A similar but smaller bird from Maui has been discovered but is as yet undescribed.[2]
The specific name, upupirostris, is derived from the Latin upupa, hoopoe, and rostrum, bill, and refers to the long sickle-shaped bill which resembles that of the hoopoe.[2]
