Cyprus Dipper

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Cyprus Dipper
Conservation status
Extinct  (1950)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Cinclidae Genus: Cinclus Species: C. cinclus Subspecies: C. c. olympicus
Trinomial name
Cinclus cinclus olympicus (Tschusi, 1904)

The Cyprus Dipper Cinclus cinclus olympicus was endemic to Cyprus. It was a stream wader in the montane forests of the island. This insectivorous bird was last observed ca. 1950 on Cyprus. It disappeared after deforestation.

However, it seems that this subspecies is not recognized as a valid subspecies anymore. Its validity has long been questioned (Vaurie, 1955), and DNA sequence comparison of Aegean/Eastern Mediterranean island populations of dippers shows that they are indistinguishable from adjacent mainland populations. Thus, it seems probable that the Cyprus population too had immigrated from Asia Minor rather recently and not evolved to the point where it could be considered a separate subspecies.

[edit] See also

• Extinct birds
• List of extinct animals
• List of extinct animals of Europe

[edit] References

• Vaurie, Charles (1955): Systematic notes on Palearctic birds. No. 16, Troglodytinae, Cinclidae, and Prunellidae. American Museum novitates 1751: 1-25. PDF fulltext

[edit] External links

• The Extinction Website