Papuan spinetail | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Clade: | Strisores |
Order: | Apodiformes |
Family: | Apodidae |
Genus: | Mearnsia |
Species: | M. novaeguineae
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Binomial name | |
Mearnsia novaeguineae (D’Albertis & Salvadori, 1879)
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The Papuan spinetail (Mearnsia novaeguineae), also known as the Papuan needletail, New Guinea spine-tailed swift or Papuan spine-tailed swift, is a small (11.5 cm in length), stocky swift with a short, rounded tail and very fast flight. Head and upperparts glossy blue-black, white or whitish belly and undertail coverts, dark underwing with pale central stripe. The small spines at the end of the tail are not visible in flight.