Editing Velvet scoter (section)

==Taxonomy==
The velvet scoter 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]] ''Anas fusca''.<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=123 | publisher=Laurentii Salvii | location=Holmiae (Stockholm) | language=Latin | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/727028 }}</ref><ref name=mayr>{{ 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=494 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16109134 }}</ref> Linnaeus specified the [[type locality (biology)|type locality]] as European seas but restricted this to the Swedish coast in 1761.<ref name=mayr/><ref>{{cite book | last=Linnaeus | first=Carl | author-link=Carl Linnaeus | year=1761 | title=Fauna svecica, sistens animalia sveciae regni mammalia, aves amphibia, pisces, insecta, vermes | edition=2nd | location=Stockholmiae | publisher=Sumtu & Literis Direct. Laurentii Salvii | language=Latin | page=39 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/32170508 }}</ref> The velvet scoter is now one of six species placed in the genus ''[[Melanitta]]'' that was introduced in 1822 by the German zoologist [[Friedrich Boie]].<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=15 June 2024 }}</ref> The genus name combines the [[Ancient Greek]] ''melas'' meaning "black" and ''netta'' meaning "duck". The specific epithet ''fusca'' is from [[Latin]] ''fuscus'' meaning "dusky", "black" or "brown".<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/n246/mode/1up 246], [https://archive.org/stream/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling#page/n167/mode/1up 167]}}</ref> The species is considered to be [[monotypic]]: no [[subspecies]] are recognised.<ref name=ioc/>

The velvet scooter was formerly considered to be [[conspecific]] with the [[white-winged scoter]] (''Melanitta deglandi'') of North America and [[Stejneger's scoter]] (''Melanitta stejnegeri'') of eastern Siberia and northwest Mongolia.<ref name=ioc/><ref name=hbw>{{ cite book | last=Carboneras | first=C. | year=1992 | chapter=Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese and Swans) | editor1-last=del Hoyo | editor1-first=J. | editor2-last=Elliott | editor2-first=A. | editor3-last=Sargatal | editor3-first=J. | title=Handbook of the Birds of the World | volume=1: Ostrich to Ducks | location=Barcelona, Spain | publisher=Lynx Edicions | isbn=84-87334-10-5 | pages=536–628 [625] | chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/handbookofbirdso0001unse/page/623/mode/1up | chapter-url-access=registration }}</ref><ref name=bow/>

[[File:Melanitta fusca MWNH 1019.JPG|right|thumb|upright=0.8| Eggs, Collection [[Museum Wiesbaden]]]]

[[File:Velvet Scoter from the Crossley ID Guide Britain and Ireland.jpg|left|thumb|Composite image of velvet scoter]]