Polynesian Imperial-Pigeon

SCI Name:  Ducula aurorae
Protonym:  Carpophaga aurorae U.S.Expl.Exped. 8 p.201
Taxonomy:  Columbiformes / Columbidae / Ducula
Taxonomy Code:  poipig1
Type Locality:  Aurora [now Makatea] Island, Tuamotu Group.
Author:  Peale
Publish Year:  1848
IUCN Status:  Endangered

DEFINITIONS

DUCULA
(Columbidae; Ϯ Mountain Imperial Pigeon D. badia insignis) Nepalese name Dukul for the imperial pigeons (cf. Hindi names Dunkul and Doomkul); "Genus or Sub-genus — DUCULA nobis. — DUKUL OF THE NIPALESE (genericé)    Character of the genus:—bill equal to the head, straight, cylindric, very feeble; both mandibles membranous for three-fourths from the gape; tip of the upper mandible gently inclined—of the lower, strongly compressed; nares broad, linear, obliquely transverse, central; their groove faint; their tect subtumid.  Wings short, not rounded, 3, 4, 5 quills sub-equal and longest; central primaries with their tips wavily truncated.  Tail 14, long, strong and square; tarsi very low, and plumed nearly to the toes laterally, less in front; toes depressed with broad flat soles; lateral fores sub-equal, hind large; nails strong, arched and acuminated; central and hind equal, lateral fores equal, less; orbits nude; plumage simple.  The above is a tedious charcater, but it is a distinct one. Those who love more summary proceedings may perhaps approve the following: "Bill and wings as in Goura; legs and feet as in Vinago."  ...  Lastly, though Ducula, like Vinago, be exclusively arboreal and fruit-eating; the latter is eminently gregarious—the former, almost a solitary.   Species new. DUCULA INSIGNIS. Great Ducula, nobis." (Hodgson 1836); "Ducula Hodgson, As. Res., 19, 1836, p. 160. Type, by monotypy, Ducula insignis Hodgson." (Peters, 1937, III, p. 42).   
Synon. Carpophaga, Carpophagella, Compsoenas, Globicera, Lamprura, Muscadivora, Muscadivores, Myriphaga, Myristicivora, Phaenorhina, Pterocolpa, Ptilocolpa, Rinopus, Serresius, Zonoenas, Zonophaps.

aurorae
● Aurora I. (= Maitia = Makatea), Society Is. (Ducula).
● Original spelling of specific name Motacilla aurorea Pallas, 1776.
● "44. PSITTACUS.  ...  auroræ.  22. P. brachyurus coccineus, alis viridibus nigrisque, rectricibus flavis medietate postica virescentibus.  Psittacus coccineus orientalis, alis ex viridi & nigro variis. Raj. av. 31.  Habitat in India orientali.  Corpus coccineum, magnitudine Turdi. Alarum tectrices virides. Remiges nigræ margine exteriore viridi; subtus purpurascentes. Annulus viridis supra genua. Pedes nigri. Rostrum flavum. Raj." (Linnaeus 1758) (syn. Lorius garrulus).
● L. aurora  east, dawn (syn. Otus bakkamoena ussuriensis).

SUBSPECIES

Polynesian Imperial-Pigeon (aurorae)
SCI Name: Ducula aurorae aurorae
aurorae
● Aurora I. (= Maitia = Makatea), Society Is. (Ducula).
● Original spelling of specific name Motacilla aurorea Pallas, 1776.
● "44. PSITTACUS.  ...  auroræ.  22. P. brachyurus coccineus, alis viridibus nigrisque, rectricibus flavis medietate postica virescentibus.  Psittacus coccineus orientalis, alis ex viridi & nigro variis. Raj. av. 31.  Habitat in India orientali.  Corpus coccineum, magnitudine Turdi. Alarum tectrices virides. Remiges nigræ margine exteriore viridi; subtus purpurascentes. Annulus viridis supra genua. Pedes nigri. Rostrum flavum. Raj." (Linnaeus 1758) (syn. Lorius garrulus).
● L. aurora  east, dawn (syn. Otus bakkamoena ussuriensis).

Polynesian Imperial-Pigeon (wilkesii)
SCI Name: Ducula aurorae wilkesii
wilkesii
Rear-Adm. Charles Wilkes (1798-1877) US Navy commanding the US Exploring Expedition 1838-1842 (syn. Ducula oceanica monacha).