You really should write the term in Japanese and provide the context in which it is used, especially one such as this that does not appear to be a Japanese word. The above peer comment about "du" not being a Japanese syllable is absolutely correct. However, I did find one Japanese website (referenced below) that refers to "dudo" as the Vietnamese word for "papaya". You state that the subject context is zoology. "Papaya" would be biological rather than zoological.

The name for the dodo bird apparently came from the Portuguese word "dudo," meaning simpleton. This has nothing to do with Japanese or Japan except that there are many Brazilians who live in Japan. So it is conceivable that one could hear this word spoken in Japan.