Gygis candida
| Little white tern | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Charadriiformes |
| Family: | Laridae |
| Genus: | Gygis |
| Species: | G. candida
|
| Binomial name | |
| Gygis candida Gmelin, 1789
| |
The little white tern (Gygis candida) is a small seabird found in Pacific Ocean.[1] This species was previously considered as the white tern (Gygis alba), but is now recognised as a separate species.[2]
Taxonomy[edit]
The little white tern was first formally described by the German ornithologist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1789. The species epithet is from Latin candidus (white). There are two recognized subspecies.[1] Some authors have postulated that there may be three species of Gygis: Gygis alba, in the Atlantic Ocean, and Gygis candida and Gygis microrhyncha, both in the Pacific.[2]
Description[edit]
The little white tern has a shorter and more conical bill than the common white tern.[1]
Distribution and habitat[edit]
The little white tern ranges throughout the Pacific Ocean.
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d BirdLife International (2022). "Gygis candida". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T216558801A219774358. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-2.RLTS.T216558801A219774358.en. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ a b Pratt, H. Douglas (2020). "Species limits and English names in the genus Gygis (Laridae)". Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club. 140 (2): 195–208. doi:10.25226/bboc.v140i2.2020.a10. ISSN 0007-1595.
 | This Charadriiformes-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |