North Island little spotted kiwi | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Infraclass: | Palaeognathae |
Order: | Apterygiformes |
Family: | Apterygidae |
Genus: | Apteryx |
Species: | |
Subspecies: | A. o. iredalei
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Trinomial name | |
Apteryx owenii iredalei Mathews, 1935
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The North Island little spotted kiwi or North Island little grey kiwi (Apteryx owenii iredalei) is an extinct subspecies of the little spotted kiwi that was native to the North Island, New Zealand.[1] It was described by Gregory Mathews in 1935. Most subsequent authors do not recognise it or any other subspecies of Apteryx owenii.[2]
The North Island little spotted kiwi went extinct sometime in the late 19th century[1] for unknown reasons; most likely from introduced invasive species such as stoats, feral cats, and other related species, or from human activity in the region. Two specimens were collected in the 1880s, being the only known remnants left.[3]