NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Akekee
Loxops caeruleirostris (S. B. Wilson, 1890)
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The akekeʻe (Loxops caeruleirostris) or Kauaʻi ʻākepa is a bird species in the family Fringillidae, where it is placed in the Hawaiian honeycreeper genus Loxops. It is endemic to the island of Kauaʻi where it is found in small numbers in higher elevations. Because of their similar size, shape, and unusual bill, the akekeʻe and the Hawaiʻi ʻākepa (Loxops coccineus) were for some time classified as a single species. This was eventually changed, because of differences in their color, nesting behavior, and calls. The akekeʻe is extremely threatened and is predicted to face imminent extinction if mosquito control efforts on Kauaʻi are not implemented.
Wikipedia contributors, Akekeʻe; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T01:20:56.033519+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Loxops caeruleirostris (S. B. Wilson, 1890)
- Name authority
- (S. B. Wilson, 1890)
- Common name
- Akekee
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Genus
- Loxops
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classAves
- orderPasseriformes
- familyFringillidae Leach, 1820
- genusLoxops Cabanis, 1847
- speciesLoxops caeruleirostris (S. B. Wilson, 1890)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Loxops. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Maui AkepaLoxops ochraceus Rothschild, 1893 | FringillidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| AkepaLoxops coccineus (J. F. Gmelin, 1789) | FringillidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Hawaii CreeperLoxops mana (S. B. Wilson, 1891) | FringillidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Oahu AkepaLoxops wolstenholmei Rothschild, 1893 | FringillidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extinct |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Chrysomitridops caeruleirostris S. B. Wilson, 1890 S. B. Wilson, 1890 | synonym |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=554341 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:3W9YF. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.