Hemignathus

Taxobox
name = "Hemignathus"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Passeriformes
familia = Fringillidae
subfamilia = Drepanidinae
genus = "Hemignathus" (but see text)
genus_authority = Lichtenstein, 1839
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = 5-7 living, 4-8 recently extinct; and see text
synonyms ="Akialoa" "Heterorhynchus" "Magumma" (but see text)

Hemignathus is a Hawaiian honeycreeper genus in the family Fringillidae. These birds are endemic to the Hawaiian Islands.

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. Some others became extinct in prehistoric times, when Polynesian settlers deforested the lowlands for agriculture.

They have a wide variety of bill shapes and sized; if the genus is broadly defined this diversity is probably the largest of all bird genera living or extinct.

ystematics

The genus "Hemignatus" is sometimes split into four distinct genera. While it is probably desirable to move at least some species to their own genera, many authorities are reluctant to do so at present due to the lack of comprehensive studies. That half of the taxa are extinct does not make such studies easier.

(Sub)Genus "Hemignathus sensu stricto" - pointed or long and downcurved bills, insectivores or nectarivores.
* Common ʻAmakihi or Hawaiʻi ʻAmakihi, "Hemignathus virens"
* Oʻahu ʻAmakihi, "Hemignathus flavus"
* Kauaʻi ʻAmakihi, "Hemignathus kauaiensis"
* Greater ʻAmakihi, "Hemignathus sagittirostris" - extinct (1901)
* Giant ʻAmakihi, "Hemignathus vorpalis" - prehistoric
* Nukupuʻu, "Hemignathus lucidus" - probably extinct (late 1990s?)
** Maui Nukupuʻu "Hemignathus (lucidus) affinis" - probably extinct (late 1990s?)
** Oʻahu Nukupuʻu "Hemignathus (lucidus) lucides" - extinct (1837)
** Kauaʻi Nukupuʻu "Hemignathus (lucidus) hanapepe" - probably extinct (late 1990s?)(Sub)Genus "Magumma" - slim pointed bill, insectivore
* ʻAnianiau, "Hemignathus parvus" or "Magumma parva"(Sub)Genus "Akialoa" - long and downcurved bills, primarily nectarivores
* Greater ʻAkialoa, "Hemignathus ellisianus" or "Akialoa ellisiana" - extinct (1969)
** Oʻahu ʻAkialoa "Hemignathus (ellisianus) ellisianus" or "Akialoa (ellisiana) ellisiana" - extinct (1940)
** Maui Nui ʻAkialoa or Lanaʻi ʻAkialoa, "Hemignathus (ellisianus) lanaiensis" or "Akialoa (ellisiana) lanaiensis" - extinct (1892)
** Kauaʻi ʻAkialoa, "Hemignathus (ellisianus) stejnegeri" or "Akialoa (ellisiana) stejnegeri" - extinct (1969)
* Hawaiʻi ʻAkialoa or Lesser ʻAkialoa, "Hemignathus obscurus" or "Akialoa obscura" - extinct (1940)
* Hoopoe-billed ʻAkialoa, "Hemignathus upupirostris" or "Akialoa upupirostris" - prehistoric
* Giant ʻAkialoa, "Hemignathus" sp. or "Akialoa" sp. - prehistoric(Sub)Genus "Heterorhynchus" - long and downcurved upper and short and stout lower bill, probes for insects
* ʻAkiapolaʻau, "Hemignathus munroi" or "Heterorhynchus wilsoni"