Vini

Vini is a genus of birds endemic to the islands of the tropical Pacific. There are five extant species of these small lorikeets ranging from eastern Fiji through Samoa, French Polynesia, and as far east as Henderson Island. All members of the genus have exceptional bright plumage, particularly the unusual all over blues of the blue lorikeet and the ultramarine lorikeet. The collared lory (Phigys solitarius) is sometimes considered to be in this genus; for example, David Steadman listed Phigys as a subgenus of Vini in 2006.[1]

Vini
Blue-crowned lorikeet
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittaculidae
Subfamily: Loriinae
Genus: Vini
Lesson, 1833
Type species
Vini coccinea
Lesson, 1833
Species

Vini australis (JF Gmelin, 1788)
Vini kuhlii (Vigors, 1824)
Vini stepheni (North, 1908)
Vini peruviana (Statius Muller, 1776)
Vini ultramarina (Kuhl, 1820)
†Vini sinotoi Steadman & Zarriello, 1987
†Vini vidivici Steadman & Zarriello, 1987

The Vini lorikeets are highly threatened by human changes to their islands. Most species have been lost from a number of islands and two species became extinct before the arrival of European explorers in the Pacific. As of 2017, two species are listed as endangered species by the IUCN and two are considered vulnerable.[2] They are primarily threatened by introduced species, such as rats, and habitat loss.

List of species, per the International Ornithological Union:[3]

ImageScientific nameCommon nameDistribution
Vini australisBlue-crowned lorikeetSamoa and Tonga islands and Lau archipelago
Vini kuhliiKuhl's lorikeetFrench Polynesia (Tubuai and Rimatara)
Vini stepheniStephen's lorikeetHenderson Island in the Pitcairn Islands
Vini peruvianaBlue lorikeetFrench Polynesia and the Cook Islands
Vini ultramarinaUltramarine lorikeetMarquesas Islands

Etymology

René Lesson chose Vini as the name for the genus since vini is the Tahitian word for a local bird.[4][5][6]

References
  1. Steadman, David W. (2006). Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds. Chicago, IL, US: University of Chicago Press. p. 525. ISBN 978-0-226-77142-7.
  2. "The IUCN Red Data List of Threatened Species: Vini". IUCN Red List. International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  3. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David. "Parrots & cockatoos". IOC World Bird List. International Ornithological Union. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  4. Lesson, R.-P. (1833). "La vini écarlate". Illustrations de zoologie. Paris: Arthus Bertrand. Planche XXVIII.
  5. [Davies, John] (1851). "Vini". A Tahitian and English Dictionary. Tahiti: London Missionary Society's Press. p. 314. the name of a small paroquet
  6. Wahlroos, Sven (2002). "Vini". English-Tahitian Tahitian-English Dictionary. Honolulu: Māʻohi Heritage Press. p. 684. (1) Tahiti parakeet; (2) small birds of various species imported to Tahiti


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