Laysan ʻApapane

Taxobox
name = Laysan ʻApapane

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status = EX
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Passeriformes
familia = Fringillidae
genus = "Himatione"
species = "H. sanguinea"
subspecies = "H. s. freethi"
trinomial = "Himatione sanguinea freethi"
trinomial_authority = (Rothschild, 1892)

The Laysan ʻApapane ("Himatione sanguinea freethi") was a subspecies of the ʻApapane, which, as suggested by its common name, was endemic to the Hawaiian island of Laysan. It is now considered to be its own species due to osteological remains and results published by James and Oslen. It was an orangish-black bird that feed on nectar from the native blossoms on the island. Rabbits were introduced to the island in the late 1800s, resulting in a depletion of the native habitats and a sudden population crash for the Laysan ʻApapane. The last record, a short video-clip, was taken in 1923. Shortly after, Laysan was battered by a strong storm, and later attempts of finding any remaining Laysan ʻApapanes failed. Other birds also inhabited the island, including the Laysan Millerbird, the Laysan Rail, and the Laysan Finch. Of these, only the finch remains extant.

References

* [http://www.hawaiianatolls.org/video/tanager.php 1923 USS Tanager Expedition.] Short video of the Laysan ʻApapane. www.Hawaiianatolls.org
* [http://www.bishopmuseum.org/research/nwhi/tanager.shtml THE TANAGER EXPEDITION] . Photo and brief tale of the extinction of the Laysan ʻApapane. www.bishopmuseum.org