Back Mergellus albellus AN بلقشة بيضاء Arabic بلقشه بيضاء ARZ Nazik pazdimdik Azerbaijani Аҡсабан Bashkir Луток Byelorussian Малък нирец Bulgarian স্মিউ হাঁস Bengali/Bangla Heskenneg bihan Breton Bec de serra petit Catalan
| Smew | |
|---|---|
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| Male (top) and female smew | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Family: | Anatidae |
| Genus: | Mergellus |
| Species: | M. albellus
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| Binomial name | |
| Mergellus albellus | |
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| Range of M. albellus Breeding Non-breeding Passage
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| Synonyms | |
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The smew (Mergellus albellus) is a species of duck and is the only living member of the genus Mergellus. Mergellus is a diminutive of Mergus and albellus is from Latin albus "white". This genus is closely related to Mergus and is sometimes included in it, though it might be closer to the goldeneyes (Bucephala).[2] The smew has hybridized with the common goldeneye (B. clangula).[3]
A seaduck fossil from the Middle Miocene shows that birds similar to smew existed up to 13 million years ago. The extant species dates back to the Late Pleistocene.
- ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Mergellus albellus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22680465A85991357. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22680465A85991357.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
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