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Dryolimnas
The genus ''Dryolimnas'' comprises birds in the Rallidae, rail family. The Réunion rail, a member of this genus, became extinction, extinct in the 17th century. The white-throated rail of Aldabra is the last surviving flightless bird in the western Indian Ocean. They are mostly found on Malabar Island, but can also be found on Polymnieli Island and other islands. Though much larger, the skeletons of these rails show similarities to the rails of the genus ''Lewinia''. Therefore, the two genera were lumped at times. This has been supported by DNA evidence, which finds strong support for a clade containing ''Crex'', ''Lewinina'', ''Dryolimnas'', and the Snoring rail. Species *White-throated rail or Cuvier's rail, ''Dryolimnas cuvieri'' **Aldabra white-throated rail, ''Dryolimnas cuvieri aldabranus'' **Assumption white-throated rail, ''Dryolimnas cuvieri abbotti'' - extinct (early 20th century) *Réunion rail, ''Dryolimnas augusti'' - extinct (late 17th century) *Cheke's wood rail ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
White-throated Rail
The white-throated rail (''Dryolimnas cuvieri'') or Cuvier's rail, is a species of bird in the family Rallidae. Distribution It is found in the Comoros, Madagascar, Mayotte, and Seychelles. Taxonomy The nominate subspecies is found in Madagascar. A flightless subspecies (sometimes considered a distinct species), ''Dryolimnas (cuvieri) aldabranus'' (Aldabra rail), inhabits Aldabra, while the semi-flightless subspecies ''D. c. Abbott'' (Assumption rail) from Assumption Island went extinct in the early 20th century due to introduced predators. A fourth extinct flightless subspecies or descendant species is known from fossil remains on Aldabra, and anatomically was almost identical to the Aldabra rail. This subspecies was wiped out by rising sea levels during the Pleistocene, but the atoll was recolonized by the white-throated rail after it resurfaced; this population evolved in a very similar way to the extinct subspecies, eventually evolving into the modern Aldabra rail. This ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Réunion Rail
The Réunion rail (''Dryolimnas augusti''), also known as Dubois' wood-rail, is an extinct rail species which was endemic to the Mascarene island of Réunion. The scientific name commemorates French poet Auguste de Villèle (1858-1943) whose interest in the history of Réunion and hospitality made it possible for numerous naturalists to discover and explore the caves of Réunion. The subfossil remains of the Réunion rail were unearthed in 1996 in the Caverne de la Tortue on Réunion and scientifically described in 1999. The material includes two complete tarso-metatarsi, five vertebrae, one sacrum, one coracoid, two humeri, one ulna, three femora, ten pedal phalanxes and one fragment of the left mandibula. The appearance of the bones identifies the Réunion rail as a close relative of the white-throated rail and the Aldabra rail. The large and stout tarsometatarsus shows that it might have been the largest known taxon within the genus ''Dryolimnas''. Historically there is one t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Red Rail
The red rail (''Aphanapteryx bonasia'') is an extinct species of rail that was endemic to the Mascarene island of Mauritius, east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. It had a close relative on Rodrigues island, the likewise extinct Rodrigues rail (''Erythromachus leguati''), with which it is sometimes considered congeneric, but their relationship with other rails is unclear. Rails often evolve flightlessness when adapting to isolated islands, free of mammalian predators, and that was also the case for this species. The red rail was a little larger than a chicken and had reddish, hairlike plumage, with dark legs and a long, curved beak. The wings were small, and its legs were slender for a bird of its size. It was similar to the Rodrigues rail, but was larger, and had proportionally shorter wings. It has been compared to a kiwi or a limpkin in appearance and behaviour. This bird is believed to have fed on invertebrates, and snail shells have been found with damage matching a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cheke's Wood Rail
Cheke's wood rail (''Dryolimnas chekei''), also known as Sauzier's wood rail, is an extinct species of rail that was endemic to the Mascarene island of Mauritius. It was described by British ornithologist Julian P. Hume in 2019, and the name honors British ecologist Anthony S. Cheke. Previously mentioned as an undescribed extinct taxon and provisionally named Sauzier's wood-rail, or ''Dryolimnas sp.'', it was described as a new species in 2019. It is known from Mauritius and was originally thought to be an isolated population of ''D. cuvieri cuvieri'', which is a rare vagrant to Mauritius, until analysis of the fossils found it to be a distinct flightless taxon that is likely descended from ''D. cuvieri''. This species may be the "small rail" referred to in the accounts of Dutch explorers, in contrast to the "large rail", which may be the red rail The red rail (''Aphanapteryx bonasia'') is an extinct species of rail that was endemic to the Mascarene island of Mauritius, ea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flightless Bird
Flightless birds are birds that cannot Bird flight, fly, as they have, through evolution, lost the ability to. There are over 60 extant species, including the well-known ratites (ostriches, emus, cassowary, cassowaries, Rhea (bird), rheas, and Kiwi (bird), kiwis) and penguins. The smallest flightless bird is the Inaccessible Island rail (length 12.5 cm, weight 34.7 g). The largest (both heaviest and tallest) flightless bird, which is also the largest living bird in general, is the common ostrich (2.7 m, 156 kg). Many domesticated birds, such as the domestic chicken and domestic duck, have lost the ability to fly for extended periods, although their ancestral species, the red junglefowl and mallard, respectively, are capable of extended flight. A few particularly bred birds, such as the Broad Breasted White turkey, have become totally flightless as a result of selective breeding; the birds were bred to grow massive breast meat that weighs too much for the bird's wings ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rallidae
Rails (avian family Rallidae) are a large, Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan family (biology), family of small- to medium-sized terrestrial and/or semi-amphibious birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity in its forms, and includes such ubiquitous species as the crakes, coots, and gallinule; other rail species are extremely rare or endangered. Many are associated with wetland habitats, some being semi-aquatic like waterfowl (such as the coot), but many more are wading birds or shorebirds. The ideal rail habitats are marsh areas, including rice paddy, rice paddies, and flooded fields or open forest. They are especially fond of dense vegetation for nesting.Horsfall & Robinson (2003): pp. 206–207 The rail family is found in every Terrestrial animal, terrestrial habitat with the exception of dry desert, Polar climate, polar or freezing regions, and Alpine climate, alpine areas (above the snow line). Members of Rallidae occur on every continent except Antarctica. N ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aldabra
Aldabra, the world's second-largest coral atoll (the largest is Kiritimati), is located east of the continent of Africa. It is part of the Aldabra Group of islands in the Indian Ocean that are part of the Outer Islands (Seychelles), Outer Islands of the Seychelles, with a distance of 1,120 km (700 mi) southwest of the capital, Victoria, Seychelles, Victoria on Mahé, Seychelles, Mahé Island. Initially named by Arab seafarers for its harsh environment, Aldabra became a French colonial empire, French colony dependency in the 18th century, leading to the exploitation of its natural resources, particularly giant tortoises. After passing through British hands, Aldabra faced potential military use in the 1960s, but international protests resulted in its protection. The atoll boasts unique geography, featuring the world's largest raised coral reef and a large shallow lagoon. Aldabra's history involves human impact, including failed agricultural ventures. Post-World War II, con ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bird Genera
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweight Bird skeleton, skeleton. Birds live worldwide and range in size from the bee hummingbird to the common ostrich. There are over 11,000 living species and they are split into 44 Order (biology), orders. More than half are passerine or "perching" birds. Birds have Bird wing, wings whose development varies according to species; the only known groups without wings are the extinct moa and elephant birds. Wings, which are modified forelimbs, gave birds the ability to fly, although further evolution has led to the Flightless bird, loss of flight in some birds, including ratites, penguins, and diverse endemism, endemic island species. The digestive and respiratory systems of birds are also uniquely a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mauritius
Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Agaléga, and St. Brandon (Cargados Carajos shoals). The islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues, along with nearby Réunion (a French overseas department), are part of the Mascarene Islands. The main island of Mauritius, where the population is concentrated, hosts the capital and largest city, Port Louis. The country spans and has an exclusive economic zone covering approximately . The 1502 Portuguese Cantino planisphere has led some historians to speculate that Arab sailors were the first to discover the uninhabited island around 975, naming it ''Dina Arobi''. Called ''Ilha do Cirne'' or ''Ilha do Cerne'' on early Portuguese maps, the island was visited by Portuguese sailors in 1507. A Dutch fleet, under the command of Admiral Van War ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
