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Dinornis
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 standing around tall,Wood, Gerald (1983) and weighing an estimated Amadon, D. (1947) or Campbell Jr., K. & Marcus, L. (1992) in various estimates. However, the males of the genus were much smaller, only around . Feather remains are reddish brown and hair-like, and 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, ... [...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'', known in Māori as kuranui. It was a large, herbivorous bird belonging to the order Dinornithiformes, and exhibited a strong sexual dimorphism, with males weighing between 55 and 88 kg and females between 78 and 249 kg. It would have been the tallest bird ever to exist, able to stretch their heads to approximately 3 metres. ''Dinornis robustus'' inhabited the North Island of New Zealand, living in lowland habitats like shrublands, grasslands and forests, fulfilling a role as one of the largest terrestrial herbivores in New Zealand's ecosystem. It would have been primarily herbivorous, although consumption of fungi has also been proposed. They laid large, fragile eggs which were incubated by the males, although the exact method is unknown. Along with much of the other native fauna, ''Dinornis novaezealandiae'' disappeared from New Zealand around the 15th century, roughly 200 ... [...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'', known in Māori as kuranui. It was a large, herbivorous bird belonging to the order Dinornithiformes, and exhibited a strong sexual dimorphism, with males weighing between 55 and 88 kg and females between 78 and 249 kg. It would have been the tallest bird ever to exist, able to stretch their heads to approximately 3 metres. ''Dinornis robustus'' inhabited the North Island of New Zealand, living in lowland habitats like shrublands, grasslands and forests, fulfilling a role as one of the largest terrestrial herbivores in New Zealand's ecosystem. It would have been primarily herbivorous, although consumption of fungi has also been proposed. They laid large, fragile eggs which were incubated by the males, although the exact method is unknown. Along with much of the other native fauna, ''Dinornis novaezealandiae'' disappeared from New Zealand around the 15th century, roughly 200 ... [...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 standing around tall,Wood, Gerald (1983) and weighing an estimated Amadon, D. (1947) or Campbell Jr., K. & Marcus, L. (1992) in various estimates. However, the males of the genus were much smaller, only around . Feather remains are reddish brown and hair-like, and 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, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
South Island Giant Moa
The South Island giant moa (''Dinornis robustus'') is an extinct species of moa in the genus ''Dinornis'', known in Māori language, Māori by the name moa nunui. It was one of the tallest-known bird species to walk the Earth, exceeded in weight only by the heavier but shorter extinct elephant bird of Madagascar. Taxonomy Moa were Ratite, ratites: large, flightless birds with a sternum, but lacking a Keel (bird anatomy), keel. They also had a distinctive jaw and palate. The origin of these birds is becoming clearer, and it is now believed that early, flighted ancestors of these birds dispersed into the Southern Hemisphere, where most flightless ratites have been found. Despite being geographically closer to the kiwi (bird), kiwi, phylogenetic analyses based on recovered DNA show moa to have been closest to the Central and South American tinamous. South island giant moa belong to the genus ''Dinornis'', and are placed within their own family, Dinornithidae, along with their ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dinornis Robustus
The South Island giant moa (''Dinornis robustus'') is an extinct species of moa in the genus '' Dinornis'', known in Māori by the name moa nunui. It was one of the tallest-known bird species to walk the Earth, exceeded in weight only by the heavier but shorter extinct elephant bird of Madagascar. Taxonomy Moa were ratites: large, flightless birds with a sternum, but lacking a keel. They also had a distinctive jaw and palate. The origin of these birds is becoming clearer, and it is now believed that early, flighted ancestors of these birds dispersed into the Southern Hemisphere, where most flightless ratites have been found. Despite being geographically closer to the kiwi, phylogenetic analyses based on recovered DNA show moa to have been closest to the Central and South American tinamous. South island giant moa belong to the genus ''Dinornis'', and are placed within their own family, Dinornithidae, along with their close relative '' Dinornis novaezealandiae'' from th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Megalapteryx Didinus
The upland moa (''Megalapteryx didinus'') is an extinct species of moa that was endemic to New Zealand. The species was named by Richard Owen in 1883, and belongs to the ratites, a group of flightless birds with no keel on the sternum. Of all moa species, ''Megalapteryx didinus'' has the best-preserved specimens, which occasionally also show impressions of soft tissue. The upland moa lived on the South Island of New Zealand, and was predominantly found in alpine and sub-alpine environment where it fed on flowers, herbs and other vegetation. After the Māori arrived in New Zealand and started hunting it, the species went extinct around 1500 CE. It was the last remaining moa species. Taxonomy The upland moa was named as ''Dinornis didinus'' in 1883 by Richard Owen from mummified material found in 1878 by H. L. Squires in Queenstown, New Zealand and subsequently sent to the British Museum. The holotype specimen consists of a mummified head and partial neck, and two mummified legs ... [...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) endemic to New Zealand. It is the only species in the genus ''Anomalopteryx'', from Ancient Greek ἀνώμαλος (''anómalos''), meaning "irregular", and πτέρυξ (''ptérux''), meaning "wing". Taxonomy The bush moa was first scientifically described as ''Dinornis didiformis'' by Richard Owen in 1844. He chose the specific name ''didiformis'' because of the apparent similarity in the shape and size of the bush moas' tarsometatarsus to that of the dodo (then ''Didus ineptus''). Description The bush moa is the smallest known species of moa, having only been slightly taller than a turkey (approx. tall). A slender bird, it is estimated to have weighed around . As with all moa, ''Anomalopteryx'' possesses a sternum, but no keel. They also have a distinctive palate. The animal inhabited much of New Zealand's North Island, along w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pachyornis Elephantopus
The heavy-footed moa (''Pachyornis elephantopus'') is an extinct species of moa from the lesser moa family. The heavy-footed moa was widespread across the South Island of New Zealand, and inhabited lowland environments like shrublands, dunelands, grasslands, and forests. Moa are ratites, flightless birds with a sternum without a keel. They also have a distinctive palate.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 eggs have an average length of and a width of , making these the second-largest moa eggs, behind the single South Island giant moa egg specimen. Taxonomy The heavy-footed moa was originally described as ''Dinornis elephantopus'' by the biologist Richard Owen in 1856 from leg bones found by Walter Mantell at Awamoa, near Oamaru, and given by him to the Natur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pachyornis Geranoides
''Pachyornis'' is an extinct genus of ratites from New Zealand which belongs to the moa family. Like all ratites, ''Pachyornis'' is a flightless bird with a sternum that lacks a keel. They also have a distinctive palate. The genus currently contains three currently recognised species: the type species, ''Pachyornis geranoides'', ''P. elephantopus'' and ''P. australis''. Two distinct genetic lineages, one each recovered from the North and South Island, could possibly expand this number to five in the future. The three species of ''Pachyornis'' are the most stoutly built and heavy-legged across all species of Dinornithiformes, the species that exhibits the most extreme morphology of the genus is the heavy-footed moa ''P. elephantopus''. ''Pachyornis'' was 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. At least one species, ''P. australis'', is assumed to have had a crest of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pachyornis Australis
''Pachyornis'' is an extinct genus of ratites from New Zealand which belongs to the moa family. Like all ratites, ''Pachyornis'' is a flightless bird with a sternum that lacks a keel. They also have a distinctive palate. The genus currently contains three currently recognised species: the type species, ''Pachyornis geranoides'', ''P. elephantopus'' and ''P. australis''. Two distinct genetic lineages, one each recovered from the North and South Island, could possibly expand this number to five in the future. The three species of ''Pachyornis'' are the most stoutly built and heavy-legged across all species of Dinornithiformes, the species that exhibits the most extreme morphology of the genus is the heavy-footed moa ''P. elephantopus''. ''Pachyornis'' was 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. At least one species, ''P. australis'', is assumed to have had a crest of l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pachyornis
''Pachyornis'' is an extinct genus of ratites from New Zealand which belongs to the moa family. Like all ratites, ''Pachyornis'' is a flightless bird with a sternum that lacks a keel. They also have a distinctive palate. The genus currently contains three currently recognised species: the type species, ''Pachyornis geranoides'', ''P. elephantopus'' and ''P. australis''. Two distinct genetic lineages, one each recovered from the North and South Island, could possibly expand this number to five in the future. The three species of ''Pachyornis'' are the most stoutly built and heavy-legged across all species of Dinornithiformes, the species that exhibits the most extreme morphology of the genus is the heavy-footed moa ''P. elephantopus''. ''Pachyornis'' was 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. At least one species, ''P. australis'', is assumed to have had a crest of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ardea (genus)
''Ardea'' is a genus of herons. These herons are generally large in size, typically 80–100 cm or more in length. These large herons are associated with wetlands where they prey on fish, frogs, and other aquatic species. Most members of this almost worldwide group breed colonially in trees, building large stick nests. Northern species such as great blue, grey, and purple herons may migrate south in winter, although the first two do so only from areas where the waters freeze. Description These are powerful birds with large spear-like bills, long necks and long legs, which hunt by waiting motionless or stalking their prey in shallow water before seizing it with a sudden lunge. They have a slow steady flight, with the neck retracted as is characteristic of herons and bitterns; this distinguishes them from storks, cranes, flamingos, and spoonbills, which extend their necks. Taxonomy The genus ''Ardea'' was introduced in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
