Subspecies
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No subspecies are recognized.
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Synonyms
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Alca impennis Linnaeus, 1758 (p. 130)
Pinguinus impennis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Plautus impennis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Chenalopex impennis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Metaeoptera impennis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Alca major Brisson, 1760 (p. 85) (not available by ICZN decision)
Alca maior auct. (misspelling)
This species has a number of pre-Linnean names, e.g. Plautus pinguis Klein 1750 (p. 147).
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Identification
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No information has been entered yet.
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Distribution
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The Great auk is officially extinct since June 3, 1844, when the last
two specimens (a breeding pair and their egg) were killed by the crew of
a fishing boat. After that date there exist a number of unconfirmed
sightings. Before its extinction, Alca impennis was a common species in
arctic and boreal areas of Europe and North America. Breeding areas were
the arctic islands Funk Island (Newfoundland), Eldey and Geirfuglasker
(Iceland), and probably other islands (Penguin Island, Wadham Island,
Westmanneyar, Faroe Islands, Saint Kilda, Orkneys) (reviewed in Luther 1986).
The only German record is from Kiel (in 1790) where a specimen allegedly
was caught and killed. This Kiel specimen is not preserved in any
collection and thus this record is considered doubtful (see Luther 1986).
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Biology
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No information has been entered yet.
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Skeleton of a Great auk. Specimen in the collection of the Zoologisches
Museum, Göttingen. Photographed and published with kind permission by Zoologisches Museum Göttingen.
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