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Dinornithidae
The giant moa (''Dinornis'') is an extinct genus of birds belonging to the moa family. As with other moa, it was a member of the order Dinornithiformes. It was endemic to New Zealand. Two species of ''Dinornis'' are considered valid, the North Island giant moa (''Dinornis novaezealandiae'') and the South Island giant moa (''Dinornis robustus''). In addition, two further species (new lineage A and lineage B) have been suggested based on distinct DNA lineages. Description ''Dinornis'' may have been the tallest bird that ever lived, with the females of the largest species standing tall,Wood, Gerald (1983) and one of the most massive, weighing Amadon, D. (1947) or Campbell Jr., K. & Marcus, L. (1992) in various estimates. Feather remains are reddish brown and hair-like, and apparently covered most of the body except the lower legs and most of the head (plus a small portion of the neck below the head). While no feathers have been found from moa chicks, it is likely that they were s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Euryapteryx Curtus
The broad-billed, stout-legged moa or coastal moa (''Euryapteryx curtus'') is an extinct species of moa. These moa lived in both the North and the South Islands of New Zealand, and on Stewart Island. Its habitat was in the lowlands (duneland, forest, shrubland, and grassland). It was a ratite and a member of the lesser moa family. The ratites are flightless birds with a sternum without a keel. They also have a distinctive palate. The origin of these birds is becoming clearer as it is now believed that early ancestors of these birds were able to fly and flew to the southern areas that they have been found in. As of 2006, half of all complete or mostly complete moa eggs in museum collections are likely broad-billed moa specimens. Of the specimens traditionally given the name ''Euryapteryx gravis'', the eggs has an average length of 205mm and width of 143mm, while the group traditionally assigned to the name ''Euryapteryx curtus'' had an average length of 122mm and width of 94mm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
North Island Giant Moa
The North Island giant moa (''Dinornis novaezealandiae'') is an extinct moa in the genus ''Dinornis''. Even though it might have walked with a lowered posture, standing upright, it would have been the tallest bird ever to exist, with a height estimated up to 3.6 metres (12 feet). Taxonomy It was a ratite and a member of the order Dinornithiformes.Davies, S.J.J.F. (2003). "Moas". In Hutchins, Michael (ed.). Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. 8 Birds I Tinamous and Ratites to Hoatzins (2 ed.). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group. pp. 95–98. ISBN 0-7876-5784-0. The ''Dinornithiformes'' were flightless birds with a sternum but without a keel. They also had a distinctive palate. Origin The origin of ''ratites'' is becoming clearer, as it is now believed that early ancestors of these birds were able to fly (Davies, 2003). From such fossil evidence it is believed that the early flying ratites originated in the Northern Hemisphere and flew to the Southern Hemisphere (Davies, 2 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Megalapteryx Didinus
The upland moa (''Megalapteryx didinus'') was a species of moa endemic to New Zealand. It was a ratite, a grouping of flightless birds with no keel on the sternum. It was the last moa species to become extinct, vanishing in 1445 CE, and was predominantly found in alpine and sub-alpine environments. Taxonomy In 2005, a genetic study suggested that ''M. benhami'', which had previously been considered a junior synonym of ''M. didinus'', may have been a valid species after all. The cladogram below follows a 2009 analysis by Bunce ''et al.'': Description At less than 1 metre tall and about 17 to 34 kilograms, the upland moa was among the smallest of the moa species. Unlike other moas, it had feathers covering all of its body but the beak and the soles of its feet, an adaptation to its cold environment.Flannery, Tim, "A Gap in Nature: Discovering the World's Extinct Animals", October 2001, Scientists believed in the past that the upland moa held its neck and head upright; howev ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dinornis Robustus, South Island Giant Moa - Three Quarter View On Black YORYM 2004 20
The giant moa (''Dinornis'') is an extinct genus of birds belonging to the moa family. As with other moa, it was a member of the order Dinornithiformes. It was endemic to New Zealand. Two species of ''Dinornis'' are considered valid, the North Island giant moa (''Dinornis novaezealandiae'') and the South Island giant moa (''Dinornis robustus''). In addition, two further species (new lineage A and lineage B) have been suggested based on distinct DNA lineages. Description ''Dinornis'' may have been the tallest bird that ever lived, with the females of the largest species standing tall,Wood, Gerald (1983) and one of the most massive, weighing Amadon, D. (1947) or Campbell Jr., K. & Marcus, L. (1992) in various estimates. Feather remains are reddish brown and hair-like, and apparently covered most of the body except the lower legs and most of the head (plus a small portion of the neck below the head). While no feathers have been found from moa chicks, it is likely that they were s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dinornis Novaezealandiae
The North Island giant moa (''Dinornis novaezealandiae'') is an extinct moa in the genus ''Dinornis''. Even though it might have walked with a lowered posture, standing upright, it would have been the tallest bird ever to exist, with a height estimated up to 3.6 metres (12 feet). Taxonomy It was a ratite and a member of the order Dinornithiformes.Davies, S.J.J.F. (2003). "Moas". In Hutchins, Michael (ed.). Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. 8 Birds I Tinamous and Ratites to Hoatzins (2 ed.). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group. pp. 95–98. ISBN 0-7876-5784-0. The ''Dinornithiformes'' were flightless birds with a sternum but without a keel. They also had a distinctive palate. Origin The origin of ''ratites'' is becoming clearer, as it is now believed that early ancestors of these birds were able to fly (Davies, 2003). From such fossil evidence it is believed that the early flying ratites originated in the Northern Hemisphere and flew to the Southern Hemisphere (Davies, 2 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Haast's Eagle
Haast's eagle (''Hieraaetus moorei'') is an extinct species of eagle that once lived in the South Island of New Zealand, commonly accepted to be the pouakai of Māori legend.Giant eagle (''Aquila moorei''), Haast's eagle, or Pouakai Museum of New Zealand: Te Papa Tongarewa. Retrieved 27 October 2010. It was the largest eagle known to have existed, with an estimated weight of , compared to the . Its massive size is explained as an evolutionary response to the size of its prey, the flightless , the largest of w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Emeus Crassus
The eastern moa (''Emeus crassus'') is an extinct species of moa. When the first specimens were originally described by Richard Owen, they were placed within the genus ''Dinornis'' as three different species, but, was later split off into their own genus, ''Emeus''. ''E. crassus'' is currently the only species of ''Emeus'', as the other two species, ''E. casuarinus'' and ''E. huttonii'' are now regarded as synonyms of ''E. crassus''. It has been long suspected that the "species" described as ''Emeus huttonii'' and ''E. crassus'' were males and females, respectively, of a single species. This has been confirmed by analysis for sex-specific genetic markers of DNA extracted from bone material; the females of ''E. crassus'' were 15-25% larger than males.Huynen, L. J., ''et al.'' (2003) This phenomenon — reverse size dimorphism — is not uncommon amongst ratites, being also very pronounced in kiwis. Description ''Emeus'' was of average size, standing tall. Like other moa, it had ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anomalopteryx Didiformis
The bush moa, little bush moa, or lesser moa (''Anomalopteryx didiformis'') is an extinct species of moa from the family Emeidae (lesser moa). Description It was the smallest known species of moa, only slightly taller than a turkey. A slender bird, it weighed around . As with all moa, they have with a sternum without a keel. They also have a distinctive palate. It inhabited much of the North Island and small sections of the South Island of New Zealand. Its habitat was dense lowland conifer, broad-leafed southern beech forests and scrubland. It possessed a sturdy, sharp-edged beak, suggesting that its diet was made up of twigs and other tough plant material. Threats and extinction Native predators included the Haast's eagle and Eyles' harrier. The species went extinct alongside other native New Zealand wildlife around 500-600 years ago, following the arrival and proliferation of the Maori people in New Zealand, as well as the introduction of Polynesian dogs. Archaelogical re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pachyornis Geranoides
Mantell's moa (''Pachyornis geranoides'') also known as Mappin's moa is an extinct species of moa from the North Island of New Zealand. Its habitat was the lowlands (shrublands, grasslands, dunelands, and forests). The moa were Ratite, ratites, flightless birds with a sternum without a Keel (bird anatomy), keel. They also have a distinctive palate. The origin of the ratites is becoming clearer as it is now believed that early ancestors of these birds were able to fly and flew to the southern areas that they have been found in.Davies, S. J. J. F. (2003) Footnotes References * * {{Taxonbar, from=Q3734974 Extinct flightless birds Extinct birds of New Zealand Ratites Bird extinctions since 1500 Holocene extinctions Late Quaternary prehistoric birds Birds described in 1848 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pachyornis Elephantopus
The heavy-footed moa (''Pachyornis elephantopus'') is a species of moa from the lesser moa family. The heavy-footed moa was widespread only in the South Island of New Zealand, and its habitat was the lowlands (shrublands, dunelands, grasslands, and forests). The moa were ratites, flightless birds with a sternum without a keel. They also have a distinctive palate. The origin of these birds is becoming clearer as it is now believed that early ancestors of these birds were able to fly and flew to the southern areas in which they have been found.Davies, S. J. J. F. (2003) The heavy-footed moa was about tall, and weighed as much as .Olliver, Narena (2005) Three complete or partially complete moa eggs in museum collections are considered eggs of the heavy-footed moa, all sourced from Otago. These have an average length of 226mm and a width of 158mm, making these the largest moa eggs behind the single South Island giant moa egg specimen. Discovery The heavy-footed moa was discovered ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pachyornis Australis
The crested moa (''Pachyornis australis'') is an extinct species of moa. It is one of the 9 known species of moa to have existed. Moa are grouped together with emus, ostriches, kiwi, cassowaries, rheas, and tinamous in the clade Palaeognathae. Some of the species of this group are flightless and lacks a keel on their sternum. The name crested moa is due to pits being found in their skulls, suggesting they had crests of long feathers. These cranial pits are also found occasionally in ''Dinornis'', '' Anomalopteryx'', and other ''Pachyornis'' species. Description The crested moa weighed around . The crested moa was smaller than the heavy-footed moa (''Pachyornis elephantopus'') and their bones are sometimes mistaken for those of ''P. elephantopus'' due to their similar structure. Almost nothing is known about the feather pits on the crested moa's skull. It is likely the feathers were used in courtship rituals or to challenge rivals, but no feathers have been found so their ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pachyornis
''Pachyornis'' is an extinct genus of ratites from New Zealand which belonged to the moa family. Like all ratites it was a member of the Order (biology), order Struthioniformes. The Struthioniformes are flightless birds with a sternum without a keel. They also have a distinctive palate. This genus contains three species, and are part of the Anomalopteryginae or lesser moa subfamily. ''Pachyornis'' moa were the stoutest and most heavy-legged genus of the family. The most notable species being ''Pachyornis elephantopus'' - the Heavy-Footed Moa. They were generally similar to the Eastern Moa or the Broad-billed moa of the genus ''Euryapteryx'', but differed in having a pointed bill and being more heavyset in general. At least one species (''P. australis'') is assumed to have had a crest of long feathers on its head. The species became rapidly extinct following human colonization of New Zealand, with the possible exception of ''P. australis'', which may have already been extinct by th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
