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Scrubfowl Group
The scrubfowl are the genus '' Megapodius '' of the mound-builders, stocky, medium-large chicken-like birds with small heads and large feet in the family Megapodiidae. They are found from south-east Asia to north Australia and islands in the west Pacific. They do not incubate their eggs with their body heat in the orthodox way, but bury them. They are best known for building a massive mound of decaying vegetation, which the male attends, adding or removing litter to regulate the internal heat while the eggs hatch. The species in taxonomic order are: * †Pile-builder scrubfowl (''Megapodius molistructor'') * †Viti Levu scrubfowl (''Megapodius amissus'') In all of the above, the name "scrubfowl" is sometimes exchanged with "megapode". Traditionally, most have been listed as subspecies of ''M. freycinet'', but today all major authorities consider this incorrect. Nevertheless, there are unresolved issues within the genus, and for example the taxon ''forstenii'' has been consid ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Orange-footed Scrubfowl
The orange-footed scrubfowl (''Megapodius reinwardt''), also known as orange-footed megapode or just scrubfowl is a small megapode of the family Megapodiidae. This species comprises five subspecies found on many islands in the Lesser Sunda Islands as well as southern New Guinea and northern Australia. It is a terrestrial bird the size of a domestic chicken and dark-coloured with strong orange legs and a pointed crest at the back of the head. It utilises a range of forest and scrub habitats and has colonised many small islands throughout its range. It is prolific in suburban Darwin gardens, where people refer to it as a bush chook or bush turkey. In general, populations seem to be stable and the conservation status of the species is considered to be of Least Concern. The orange-footed scrubfowl feeds on seeds, fallen fruit and terrestrial invertebrates. As with other megapodes, it nests in large mounds of sand, leaf litter and other debris where the heat generated by the decompo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nicobar Megapode
The Nicobar megapode or Nicobar scrubfowl (''Megapodius nicobariensis'') is a megapode found in some of the Nicobar Islands (India). Like other megapode relatives, it builds a large mound nest with soil and vegetation, with the eggs hatched by the heat produced by decomposition. Newly hatched chicks climb out of the loose soil of the mound and being fully feathered are capable of flight. The Nicobar Islands are on the edge of the distribution of megapodes, well separated from the nearest ranges of other megapode species. Being restricted to small islands and threatened by hunting, the species is vulnerable to extinction. The 2004 tsunami is believed to have wiped out populations on some islands and reduced populations on several others. Description Megapodes are so named for their large feet and like others in the group, this species is fowl like with dark brown plumage, a short tail and large feet and claws. The tarsus is bare with the hind toe situated on the same level as the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species have subspecies, but for those that do there must be at least two. Subspecies is abbreviated subsp. or ssp. and the singular and plural forms are the same ("the subspecies is" or "the subspecies are"). In zoology, under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, the subspecies is the only taxonomic rank below that of species that can receive a name. In botany and mycology, under the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, other infraspecific ranks, such as variety, may be named. In bacteriology and virology, under standard bacterial nomenclature and virus nomenclature, there are recommendations but not strict requirements for recognizing other important infraspecific ranks. A taxonomist decides whether ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Viti Levu Scrubfowl
The Viti Levu scrubfowl (''Megapodius amissus''), also known as the Fiji scrubfowl or lost megapode, is an extinct megapode that was endemic to Fiji. The epithet ''amissus'', from Latin "lost", refers to its extinction. Subfossil remains were collected from the Udit cave at Wainibuku on the island of Viti Levu in October 1998 by Trevor Worthy, G. Udy and S. Mataraba, and described by Worthy in 2000. The holotype is held by the Museum of New Zealand The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is New Zealand's national museum and is located in Wellington. ''Te Papa Tongarewa'' translates literally to "container of treasures" or in full "container of treasured things and people that spring fr ... (reg. no: S.037468). Description The megapode was similar in size to, or slightly larger than, the living orange-footed scrubfowl, though it had reduced wings and more robust legs, suggesting that it was flightless or almost flightless. It is likely that it became extinct throug ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pile-builder Scrubfowl
The pile-builder megapode (''Megapodius molistructor'') is an extinct species of megapode. The subfossil remains were found by Jean-Christophe Balouet and Storrs L. Olson in the Pindai Caves of New Caledonia. Its remains have also been found on Tonga. Description With a weight of 3.5 kg, ''M. molistructor'' was heavier than all existing ''Megapodius'' species. On Tonga, it was the largest ground-dwelling bird species. The fossil material consists of a left tarsometatarsus, a complete left scapula, a half right scapula, a proximal-end left ulna, a fragment of the right femur, several ungual phalanges, an anterior-end right scapula, a proximal-end right ulna, a distal left ulna, a distal-end left ulna proximal, and a half right femur. Extinction When the early settlers of the Lapita culture arrived in Tonga around 1500 BC, they found only marine species such as sea turtles and giant forms of terrestrial birds such as megapodes, doves, and rails. The hunting of these bird sp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Megapodius Reinwardt Cairns
The scrubfowl are the genus '' Megapodius '' of the mound-builders, stocky, medium-large chicken-like birds with small heads and large feet in the family Megapodiidae. They are found from south-east Asia to north Australia and islands in the west Pacific. They do not incubate their eggs with their body heat in the orthodox way, but bury them. They are best known for building a massive mound of decaying vegetation, which the male attends, adding or removing litter to regulate the internal heat while the eggs hatch. The species in taxonomic order are: * † Pile-builder scrubfowl (''Megapodius molistructor'') * †Viti Levu scrubfowl (''Megapodius amissus'') In all of the above, the name "scrubfowl" is sometimes exchanged with "megapode". Traditionally, most have been listed as subspecies of ''M. freycinet'', but today all major authorities consider this incorrect. Nevertheless, there are unresolved issues within the genus, and for example the taxon ''forstenii'' has been co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
New Guinea Scrubfowl
The New Guinea scrubfowl or New Guinea megapode (''Megapodius decollatus'') is a species of bird in the family Megapodiidae. It is found in New Guinea, mostly in the northern half. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial .... This species was formerly known as ''Megapodius affinis'' but Roselaar, 1994, Bulletin of the Zoological Museum of the University of Amsterdam, 14, no.2, pp. 9–36 showed that ''Megapodius affinis'' A.B.Meyer, 1874 refers to '' M. reinwardt''. References New Guinea scrubfowl Birds of New Guinea New Guinea scrubfowl Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Galliformes-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vanuatu Megapode
The Vanuatu megapode or Vanuatu scrubfowl (''Megapodius layardi'') is a species of bird in the family Megapodiidae. It was formerly known as the New Hebrides scrubfowl. It is found only in Vanuatu. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest. The species is threatened by habitat loss and egg collecting. Taxonomy Two syntype specimens of ''Megapodius layardi'' TristramIbis, 1879, p. 194. are held in the collections of National Museums Liverpool at World Museum, with accession numbers T9758 (male adult) and T9759 (female adult). The specimens were collected in Vate Island (Efate) in July 1877 and September 1877, respectively, by Edgar Leopold Layard and came to the Liverpool national collection via Canon Henry Baker Tristram's collection which was purchased in 1896. There are three further syntypes in the bird collection at the Natural History Museum at Tring. References External links BirdLife Species Factsheet. Vanuatu megapode Birds of Vanuatu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Melanesian Megapode
The Melanesian scrubfowl or Melanesian megapode (''Megapodius eremita'') is a megapode species that is endemic to islands within Melanesia. The Melanesian scrubfowl has a unique strategy of egg incubation in which it relies on environmental heat sources. This bird species is culturally important for Indigenous peoples in Melanesia. Taxonomy and systematics Two names are commonly used to refer to the species ''Megapodius eremita'': the Melanesian scrubfowl and Melanesian megapode. ''M. eremita'' belongs to the family Megapodiidae (the megapodes) and genus Megapodius (the scrubfowl). Following this classification, some taxonomists prefer the common designation "scrubfowl" because it is more precise, identifying the species as part of its particular genus rather than the megapode family as a whole. The species ''M. eremita'' was first described and introduced to 'Western' taxonomy by Hartlaub in 1867. But, as later taxonomists struggled to identify whether scrubfowl groups were disti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Biak Scrubfowl
The Biak scrubfowl or Biak megapode (''Megapodius geelvinkianus'') is a species of bird in the family Megapodiidae. It is found only on the islands of Biak, Mios Korwar, Numfor, Manim and Mios Num in the West Papua region of Indonesia. Description This bird measures long. Its plumage is largely dark grey. It has a slight crest and a reddish or bluish face. Legs are red or dark grey. Habitat Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss. Some taxonomists consider this to be a subspecies of the dusky megapode, others as a subspecies of the orange-footed scrubfowl The orange-footed scrubfowl (''Megapodius reinwardt''), also known as orange-footed megapode or just scrubfowl is a small megapode of the family Megapodiidae. This species comprises five subspecies found on many islands in the Lesser Sunda Islan ..., but is increasingly looked at as a distinct species. Refere ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dusky Megapode
The dusky megapode (''Megapodius freycinet''), also known as dusky scrubfowl or common megapode, is a medium-sized, approximately 41 cm (16 in) long, blackish bird with a short pointed crest, bare red facial skin, dark legs, brown irises, and a dark brown and yellow bill. The male and female are similar. This terrestrial species lives in forests and swamps, including mangroves, of the Maluku and Raja Ampat Islands in Indonesia. Like other megapodes, it lays its eggs in a mound made from earth mixed with leaves, sand, gravel, and sticks, which can be as large as in diameter and stand nearly tall. Many authorities include the Biak scrubfowl as a subspecies of this species, but the two are increasingly treated as separate species. At the same time, many authorities consider the taxon ''M. forstenii'' a separate species, Forsten's megapode, but measurements and molecular evidence suggest the two are very close,Birks, S. M., & Edwards, S. V. (2002). ''A phylogeny of the megapodes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tanimbar Megapode
The Tanimbar megapode or Tanimbar scrubfowl (''Megapodius tenimberensis'') is a small megapode endemic to the Tanimbar Islands of Indonesia. It is sometimes considered to be a subspecies of the orange-footed scrubfowl, ''Megapodius reinwardt''. It is a terrestrial bird the size of a domestic chicken, which is found in a range of forest and scrub habitats. It feeds on seeds, fallen fruit and terrestrial invertebrates. Like other megapodes, it nests in large mounds of sand, leaf litter and other debris where the heat generated by the decomposition of organic material serves to incubate the eggs. References * Jones, Darryl N.; Dekker, Rene W.R.J.; & Roselaar, Cees S. (1995). ''The Megapodes''. Oxford University Press: Oxford. {{Taxonbar, from=Q968178 Tanimbar megapode Birds of the Tanimbar Islands Tanimbar megapode Tanimbar megapode The Tanimbar megapode or Tanimbar scrubfowl (''Megapodius tenimberensis'') is a small megapode endemic to the Tanimbar Islands of Indonesia ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
