The tooth-billed pigeons are the only
genus (Didunculus) of the subfamily Didunculinae, in the pigeon and dove
family, (
Columbidae). It has no close living relatives, but it has been shown to be genetically close to the
dodo,[2] and the genus name Didunculus means "little dodo".[3] The jaw and tongue structure, and the superficially
parrotlike bill have suggested a relationship to the parrots, but these features have arisen from its specialised diet rather than any real relationship.
The Tongan tooth-billed pigeon (Didunculus placopedetes bebefolis) is only known from
subfossil[4] remains in several archaeological sites in
Tonga dating 2700–2850
BP[5] and now
extinct. The tooth-billed pigeon (Didunculus strigirostris) from
Samoa is
critically endangered.[6]
Notes
^The name has long been erroneously been credited to
Peale, 1848, but it was actually first published by William Jardine in 1845. Because the name was also first published in synonymy with Jardine's Gnathodon, Didunculus must be credited to Jardine following Article 50.7 of the
ICZN, even though it is credited to Titian Peale in the text.[1]