| New Zealand Quail | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Family: | Phasianidae |
| Genus: | Coturnix |
| Species: | C. novaezelandiae |
| Binomial name | |
| Coturnix novaezelandiae Quoy & Gaimard, 1830 |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Coturnix novaezelandiae |
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The New Zealand Quail, or koreke (the Māori name), has been extinct since 1875. The male and female were similar, except for the fact the female was lighter. The first scientist to describe it was Sir Joseph Banks when he visited New Zealand on James Cook's first voyage. The first specimen was collected in 1827 by Jean René Constant Quoy and Joseph Paul Gaimard on Dumont D'Urville's voyage. It is sometimes considered conspecific with the Australian Stubble Quail, which would then be named Coturnix novaezelandiae pectoralis as it was only scientifically described after the New Zealand birds were.
Presently, research is being conducted at Massey University to find out whether the quails found on Tiritiri Matangi island - which was spared the worst impact of introduced predators - may be a surviving population of this species. It has also been suggested that these birds are koreke-Brown Quail hybrids, but as these species do not seem particularly close relatives, this is quite doubtful.[1]
References
- ^ NZ quail may not be extinct say scientists after Haurauki Gulf island discovery, Massey News, Issue 3, 11 March 2007. Accessed 2008-01-24.
The results of a two year genetic study has shown that the quail species on Tiritiri Matangi island is the Australian brown quail Coturnix ypsilophora. Sequences were derived for all quail species within the Australian and New Zealand Coturnix sp, complex. A neighbour joining phylogenetic distance tree was constructed in PAUP4 with 1000 bootstrap replications conducted to determine the strength of groupings. The sequences used for the tree were derived from 3 separate mitochondrial control region sequences. This tree analysis also showed a close phylogeneic relationship between the New Zealand quail Coturnix novaezelandiae and the Australian stubble quail Coturnix pectoralis but confirmed that they are separate species.
External links
- 3D view of specimens RMNH 110.051 and RMNH 110.052 at Naturalis, Leiden (requires QuickTime browser plugin).
- New Zealand Quail / Koreke. Coturnix novaezelandiae. by Paul Martinson. Artwork produced for the book Extinct Birds of New Zealand, by Alan Tennyson, Te Papa Press, Wellington, 2006
- The Quail (male and female) Coturnix Novae Zealandie by Johannes Keulemans in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
- New Zealand Quail by George Lodge, 1913 in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
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