Giant honeyeater

The giant honeyeater or duetting giant honeyeater (Gymnomyza brunneirostris) is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is endemic to Fiji.

Giant honeyeater
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Meliphagidae
Genus: Gymnomyza
Species:
G. brunneirostris
Binomial name
Gymnomyza brunneirostris
(Mayr, 1932)

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.

It is endemic Viti Levu island. It was formerly considered conspecific with the yellow-billed honeyeater. Both showed phenotypic and behavioural differences. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2014 found that they also differed significantly in their mitochondrial DNA sequences and suggested that G. v. brunneirostris should be promoted to the species level. The International Ornithologists' Union accepted these proposals and introduced the name "yellow-billed honeyeater" for G. viridis and "giant honeyeater" for G. brunneirostris.[2][3]

References
  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Gymnomyza brunneirostris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Andersen, M.J.; Naikatini, A.; Moyle, R.C. (2014). "A molecular phylogeny of Pacific honeyeaters (Aves: Meliphagidae) reveals extensive paraphyly and an isolated Polynesian radiation". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 71: 308–315. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2013.11.014. PMID 24315868.
  3. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David (eds.). "Honeyeaters". World Bird List Version 6.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 1 February 2016.


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