Editing Smew (section)

==Etymology==
The smew was [[Species description|formally described]] in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist [[Carl Linnaeus]] in the [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|tenth edition]] of his ''[[Systema Naturae]]'' under the [[binomial nomenclature|binomial name]] ''Mergus albellus''.<ref>{{cite book | last=Linnaeus | first=Carl | author-link=Carl Linnaeus | year=1758 | title= Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis | volume=1 | edition=10th | page=129 | publisher=Laurentii Salvii | location=Holmiae (Stockholm) | language=Latin | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/727034 }}</ref> Linnaeus based his account on the description published in 1757 by another Swedish naturalist, [[Fredrik Hasselqvist]].<ref>{{ cite book | last=Hasselqvist | first=Fredrik | author1-link=Fredrik Hasselqvist | date=1757 | title=Iter Palæstinum, eller Resa til Heliga Landet, förrättad ifrån år 1749 til 1752 : med beskrifnigar, rön, anmärkingar, öfver de märkvärdigaste naturalier, på Hennes Kongl. Maj.ts befallning | language=Swedish, Latin | location=Stockholm | publisher=Trykt på L. Salvii kåstnad | pages=269-270, No. 37 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/49678545 }}<!--All scans are missing pages 210-229--></ref> Linnaeus specified the [[type locality (biology)|type locality]] as Europe but this was restricted to the Mediterranean near [[İzmir]] in Turkey.<ref>{{ cite book | editor1-last=Mayr | editor1-first=Ernst | editor1-link=Ernst Mayr | editor2-last=Cottrell | editor2-first=G. William | year=1979 | title=Check-List of Birds of the World | volume=1 | edition=2nd | publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology | place=Cambridge, Massachusetts | page=497 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16109137 }}</ref> The smew is now the only living species placed in the [[genus]] ''[[Mergellus]]'' that was introduced in 1840 by the English naturalist [[Prideaux John Selby|Prideaux Selby]]. The species is [[monotypic]]: no [[subspecies]] are recognised.<ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela C. Rasmussen | date=December 2023 | title=Screamers, ducks, geese & swans | work=IOC World Bird List Version 14.1 | url=http://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/waterfowl/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=2 July 2024 }}</ref> The genus name is the [[Latin]] word for an unknown seabird, perhaps a cormorant. The specific epithet ''albellus'' is a [[Latin]] diminutive of ''albus'' meaning "white".<ref>{{cite book | last=Jobling | first=James A. | year=2010| title=The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | publisher=Christopher Helm | location=London | isbn=978-1-4081-2501-4 | pages=[https://archive.org/stream/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling#page/n251/mode/1up 251], [https://archive.org/stream/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling#page/n38/mode/1up 38]}}</ref>

The term ''smew'' has been used since the 17th century and is of uncertain origin. It is believed to be related to the [[Dutch language|Dutch]] ''smient'' ("[[wigeon]]") and the German ''Schmeiente'' or '' Schmünte'', "wild duck."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/smew|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181229075440/https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/smew|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 29, 2018|title=smew - Definition of smew in English by Oxford Dictionaries|website=Oxford Dictionaries - English}}</ref> It is probably derived from ''smee'', a dialectal term for a wild duck.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://findwords.info/term/smee+duck|title=What is smee duck|website=findwords.info}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/smee|title=Smee definition and meaning - Collins English Dictionary|website=www.collinsdictionary.com}}</ref>