Purple Swamphen or Gallinule (Porphyrio porphyrio) and Humans

What is it about?

The knowledge on the historical use of animal species in captivity and human-induced changes in their distribution remains unclear in comparison to contemporary case studies. By gathering different records and iconographic evidence from a wide period, ranging from ancient Egypt to recent times, the team confirmed that the purple swamphen was a very popular waterbird species, which has been transported and commercialized during several historical periods, especially within the Mediterranean region.

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Why is it important?

This review provides a new perspective on the importance of taking into account past human activity when interpreting the contemporary distribution of species, opening new avenues to structure research studies under this innovative basis.

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