Antipodean albatross
| Antipodean albatross | |
|---|---|
| Diomedea antipodensis antipodensis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Procellariiformes |
| Family: | Diomedeidae |
| Genus: | Diomedea |
| Species: | D. antipodensis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Diomedea antipodensis Robertson & Warham, 1992
| |
| Subspecies | |
|
Diomedea antipodensis antipodensis Robertson & Warham 1992 | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Diomedea exulans antipodensis | |
The Antipodean albatross (Diomedea antipodensis) (Māori: Toroa) is a large seabird in the albatross family. Its recognition as more than a subspecies of the wandering albatross is relatively recent, and still not accepted by all authorities (see further below). Antipodean albatrosses are smaller than other former wandering albatrosses, now called snowy albatrosses, and breed in predominantly brown plumage, but are otherwise difficult to distinguish from young snowy albatrosses (snowy albatrosses grow lighter in color with age, while the Antipodean stays darker).