Gallirallus is a genus of rails that live in the Australasian-Pacific region. The genus is characterised by an ability to colonise relatively small and isolated islands and thereafter to evolve flightless forms, many of which became extinct following Polynesian settlement.
Following recent taxonomic revisions, there is only one known extant species in this genus along with several extinct species of dubious classification, with all other species being moved to Hypotaenidia, Cabalus, or Aptenorallus.[1]
Descriptionedit
Many of the rails, including the well-known weka of New Zealand, are flightless or nearly so. Many of the resultant flightless island endemics became extinct after the arrival of humans, which hunted these birds for food, introduced novel predators like rats, dogs or pigs, and upset the local ecosystems. A common Polynesian name of these rails, mainly relatives of G. philippensis, is veka/weka (in English, this name is generally limited to Gallirallus australis).
On the other hand, Gallirallus species are (with the exception of the weka) notoriously retiring and shy birds with often drab coloration.
The Calayan rail (formerly Gallirallus calayanensis) was placed into the genus Aptenorallus in 2021.[2]
Species extinct before A.D. 1500edit
Illustration of an unidentified extinct species (possibly G. vekamatolu) from Vava'u, 1793
Aside from the weka, all species classified in the genus Gallirallus are only known from subfossil remains, having gone extinct in the Quaternary extinction event. Given the recent taxonomic changes that have led to the weka being the only remaining Gallirallus species, it is possible these may also belong to different genera, but are presently retained in Gallirallus due to uncertainty.[3]
^ ab"Finfoots, flufftails, rails, trumpeters, cranes, Limpkin – IOC World Bird List". Retrieved 24 August 2022.
^Kirchman, Jeremy J.; McInerney, Nancy Rotzel; Giarla, Thomas C.; Olson, Storrs L.; Slikas, Elizabeth; Fleischer, Robert C. (16 July 2021). "Phylogeny based on ultra-conserved elements clarifies the evolution of rails and allies (Ralloidea) and is the basis for a revised classification". Ornithology. 138 (4): 1–21. doi:10.1093/ornithology/ukab042. ISSN 0004-8038.
^ abSalvador, Rodrigo B.; Anderson, Atholl; Tennyson, Alan J.D. (2021). "An Extinct New Rail (Gallirallus, Aves: Rallidae) Species from Rapa Island, French Polynesia". Taxonomy. 1 (4): 448–457. doi:10.3390/taxonomy1040032.
^ abcKirchman, Jeremy J.; Steadman, David. (2007). . Pacific Science. 61 (1): 145–163. doi:10.1353/psc.2007.0008. hdl:10125/22605. S2CID 86793953. Archived from the original on 11 June 2014.(subscription required)
^"Gallirallus huiatua; holotype". Collections Online. Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
^Steadman, David W.; Worthy, Trevor H.; Anderson, Atholl; Walter, Richard. (1 June 2000). . Wilson Bulletin. 112 (2): 165–186. doi:10.1676/0043-5643(2000)112[0165:NSAROB]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 86588636. Archived from the original on 24 May 2007.(subscription required)
^Steadman, D. W. (1986). "Two new species of rails (Aves: Rallidae) from Mangaia, Southern Cook Islands". Pacific Science. 40 (1): 27–43.
^Worthy, Trevor H.; Bollt, Robert. (1 January 2011). . Pacific Science. 65 (1): 69–86. doi:10.2984/65.1.069. hdl:10125/23211. S2CID 54836563. Archived from the original on 21 September 2014.(subscription required)
^A similar bird was found to live on nearby Vava‘u in 1793. Given that G. vekamatolu was flightless, this may just as well represent a related species.
^Kirchman, J.J.; Steadman, D. W. (2005). "Rails (Aves: Rallidae: Gallirallus) from prehistoric sites in the Kingdom of Tonga, including description of a new species". Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 118 (2): 465–477. doi:10.2988/0006-324x(2005)118[465:rargfp]2.0.co;2. S2CID 86755841.
^"State Library of New South Wales". Retrieved 6 January 2023.
^Worthy, Trevor H.; Burley, David V. (2020). "Prehistoric avifaunas from the Kingdom of Tonga". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 189 (3): 998–1045. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz110.
External linksedit
Media related to Gallirallus at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Gallirallus at Wikispecies
January 01, 1970
gallirallus, genus, rails, that, live, australasian, pacific, region, genus, characterised, ability, colonise, relatively, small, isolated, islands, thereafter, evolve, flightless, forms, many, which, became, extinct, following, polynesian, settlement, weka, a. Gallirallus is a genus of rails that live in the Australasian Pacific region The genus is characterised by an ability to colonise relatively small and isolated islands and thereafter to evolve flightless forms many of which became extinct following Polynesian settlement Gallirallus Weka Gallirallus australis Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Aves Order Gruiformes Family Rallidae Genus GallirallusLafresnaye 1841 Species 1 living and see text Synonyms Tricholimnas Hypotaenidia Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Living and recently extinct species 4 Species extinct before A D 1500 5 References 6 External linksTaxonomy editFollowing recent taxonomic revisions there is only one known extant species in this genus along with several extinct species of dubious classification with all other species being moved to Hypotaenidia Cabalus or Aptenorallus 1 Description editMany of the rails including the well known weka of New Zealand are flightless or nearly so Many of the resultant flightless island endemics became extinct after the arrival of humans which hunted these birds for food introduced novel predators like rats dogs or pigs and upset the local ecosystems A common Polynesian name of these rails mainly relatives of G philippensis is veka weka in English this name is generally limited to Gallirallus australis On the other hand Gallirallus species are with the exception of the weka notoriously retiring and shy birds with often drab coloration Living and recently extinct species editIn the online list maintained by Frank Gill Pamela Rasmussen and David Donsker on behalf of the International Ornithological Committee IOC the genus contains only one extant species 1 Image Scientific name Common name Distribution nbsp Weka Gallirallus australis New Zealand These species were placed by BirdLife International and IUCN in the separate genus Hypotaenidia but are still considered part of Gallirallus by The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World eBird Okinawa rail Gallirallus okinawae Barred rail Gallirallus torquatus Pink legged rail Gallirallus insignis Roviana rail Gallirallus rovianae Guam rail Gallirallus owstoni extinct in the wild late 1980s Lord Howe woodhen Gallirallus sylvestris Buff banded rail Gallirallus philippensis Dieffenbach s rail Gallirallus dieffenbachii extinct mid 19th century Wake Island rail Gallirallus wakensis extinct 1945 Tahiti rail Gallirallus pacificus extinct late 18th 19th century The Calayan rail formerly Gallirallus calayanensis was placed into the genus Aptenorallus in 2021 2 Species extinct before A D 1500 edit nbsp Illustration of an unidentified extinct species possibly G vekamatolu from Vava u 1793Aside from the weka all species classified in the genus Gallirallus are only known from subfossil remains having gone extinct in the Quaternary extinction event Given the recent taxonomic changes that have led to the weka being the only remaining Gallirallus species it is possible these may also belong to different genera but are presently retained in Gallirallus due to uncertainty 3 Astolfo s rail Gallirallus astolfoi 3 Nuku Hiva rail Gallirallus epulare 4 New Ireland rail Gallirallus ernstmayri Ua Huka rail Gallirallus gracilitibia 4 Niue rail Gallirallus huiatua 5 6 Tinian rail Gallirallus pendiculentus Aguiguan rail Gallirallus pisonii Mangaia rail Gallirallus ripleyi 7 Tahuata rail Gallirallus roletti 4 Tubuai rail Gallirallus steadmani 8 Huahine rail Gallirallus storrsolsoni Rota rail Gallirallus temptatus ʻEua rail Gallirallus vekamatolu possibly survived to the early 19th century 9 10 Hiva Oa rail Gallirallus sp Norfolk Island rail Gallirallus sp possibly survived to the early 19th century 11 Vava u rail Gallirallus Hypotaenidia vavauensis Worthy amp Burley 2020 12 References edit a b Finfoots flufftails rails trumpeters cranes Limpkin IOC World Bird List Retrieved 24 August 2022 Kirchman Jeremy J McInerney Nancy Rotzel Giarla Thomas C Olson Storrs L Slikas Elizabeth Fleischer Robert C 16 July 2021 Phylogeny based on ultra conserved elements clarifies the evolution of rails and allies Ralloidea and is the basis for a revised classification Ornithology 138 4 1 21 doi 10 1093 ornithology ukab042 ISSN 0004 8038 a b Salvador Rodrigo B Anderson Atholl Tennyson Alan J D 2021 An Extinct New Rail Gallirallus Aves Rallidae Species from Rapa Island French Polynesia Taxonomy 1 4 448 457 doi 10 3390 taxonomy1040032 a b c Kirchman Jeremy J Steadman David 2007 New species of extinct rails Aves Rallidae from archaeological sites in the Marquesas Islands French Polynesia Pacific Science 61 1 145 163 doi 10 1353 psc 2007 0008 hdl 10125 22605 S2CID 86793953 Archived from the original on 11 June 2014 subscription required Gallirallus huiatua holotype Collections Online Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Retrieved 16 July 2010 Steadman David W Worthy Trevor H Anderson Atholl Walter Richard 1 June 2000 New species and records of birds from prehistoric sites on Niue southwest Pacific Wilson Bulletin 112 2 165 186 doi 10 1676 0043 5643 2000 112 0165 NSAROB 2 0 CO 2 S2CID 86588636 Archived from the original on 24 May 2007 subscription required Steadman D W 1986 Two new species of rails Aves Rallidae from Mangaia Southern Cook Islands Pacific Science 40 1 27 43 Worthy Trevor H Bollt Robert 1 January 2011 Prehistoric birds and bats from the Atiahara site Tubuai Austral Islands East Polynesia Pacific Science 65 1 69 86 doi 10 2984 65 1 069 hdl 10125 23211 S2CID 54836563 Archived from the original on 21 September 2014 subscription required A similar bird was found to live on nearby Vava u in 1793 Given that G vekamatolu was flightless this may just as well represent a related species Kirchman J J Steadman D W 2005 Rails Aves Rallidae Gallirallus from prehistoric sites in the Kingdom of Tonga including description of a new species Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 118 2 465 477 doi 10 2988 0006 324x 2005 118 465 rargfp 2 0 co 2 S2CID 86755841 State Library of New South Wales Retrieved 6 January 2023 Worthy Trevor H Burley David V 2020 Prehistoric avifaunas from the Kingdom of Tonga Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 189 3 998 1045 doi 10 1093 zoolinnean zlz110 External links edit nbsp Media related to Gallirallus at Wikimedia Commons nbsp Data related to Gallirallus at Wikispecies Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gallirallus amp oldid 1193198974, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
