Pachyornis Geranoides
Mantell's moa (Pachyornis geranoides) also known as Mappin's moa or moa ruarangi 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 ratites, flightless birds with a sternum without a 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.
Its name is in honour of New Zealand naturalist and politician Walter Mantell.
Description
Mantell's moa had a length of 54 cm (21 in), and weighed between 17 and 36 kg (37 to 79 lb).
Footnotes
- ^ Brands, S. (2008)
- ^ Checklist Committee Ornithological Society of New Zealand (2010). "Checklist-of-Birds of New Zealand, Norfolk and Macquarie Islands and the Ross Dependency, Antarctica" (PDF). Te Papa Press. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- ^ "Mantell's moa | New Zealand Birds Online".
- ^ Tennyson, Alan J. D. (2006). Extinct birds of New Zealand. Paul Martinson. Wellington, N.Z.: Te Papa Press. p. 30. ISBN 978-0-909010-21-8. OCLC 80016906.
- ^ Davies, S. J. J. F. (2003)
References
- Brands, Sheila (Aug 14, 2008). "Systema Naturae 2000 / Classification, Genus Euryapteryx". Project: The Taxonomicon. Retrieved Feb 4, 2009.
- Davies, S.J.J.F. (2003). "Moas". In Hutchins, Michael (ed.). Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. Vol. 8 Birds I Tinamous and Ratites to Hoatzins (2 ed.). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group. pp. 95–98. ISBN 0-7876-5784-0.