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Crested moa

March 16, 2024

The crested moa (Pachyornis australis) is an extinct species of moa. It is one of the 9 known species of moa to have existed.[3]

Crested moa
Temporal range: Late Holocene
Pachyornis australis bones in Ngarua Caves
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Infraclass: Palaeognathae
Order: †Dinornithiformes
Family: †Emeidae
Genus: †Pachyornis
Species:
†P. australis
Binomial name
†Pachyornis australis
(Oliver, 1949)[1][2]
Synonyms
List
  • Pachyornis elephantopus Cracraft 1976 non (Owen 1856) Lydekker 1891
  • Mesopteryx sp. β Parker 1895

Moa are grouped together with emus, ostriches, kiwi, cassowaries, rheas, and tinamous in the clade Palaeognathae. Some of the species of this group are flightless and lacks a keel on their sternum.[4] The name crested moa is due to pits being found in their skulls, suggesting they had crests of long feathers.[3][5] These cranial pits are also found occasionally in Dinornis, Anomalopteryx, and other Pachyornis species.[6]

Description edit

The crested moa weighed around 75 kg (165 lb).[citation needed] The crested moa was smaller than the heavy-footed moa (Pachyornis elephantopus) and their bones are sometimes mistaken for those of P. elephantopus due to their similar structure.[7][8]

Almost nothing is known about the feather pits on the crested moa's skull. It is likely the feathers were used in courtship rituals or to challenge rivals, but no feathers have been found so their color or size can only be speculated at.[3]

Distribution and habitat edit

The crested moa was endemic to the South Island of New Zealand, where it occupied the high altitude sub-alpine forests in the North West, particularly in the Nelson area.[3][8][9] Crested moa remains have been found in the Honeycomb Hills Cave and other caves in the vicinity.[3] It was the ecological equivalent of the heavy-footed moa in the subalpine zone. While their remains have occasionally been found together, the heavy-footed moa generally preferred warmer and drier lowland areas.[7][8][9] However, it is likely the crested moa would have migrated from the high country to these more hospitable areas in winter.[3]

Ecology and diet edit

As with all moa species, the crested moa filled the role of large herbivores in New Zealand, where there are no native terrestrial mammals (excluding bats).[8][10] The robust beak with a pointed tip, sturdy jaws, together with large numbers of gizzard stones suggests the diet of Pachyornis was high in fibrous plant material such as branches of trees and shrubs.[5] The only real threat of predation came from the Haast's eagle (Hieraaetus moorei).[10]

Extinction edit

Until recently it was thought that the crested moa became extinct at the Pleistocene-Holocene transition roughly 10,000 years ago (10,000 years BP) during a period of significant climatic upheaval.[8][11] In 2012 however radiocarbon dating of crested moa remains from Bulmer Cavern showed that the specimen died between 1396 and 1442 AD, over 100 years after humans first settled on the Island.[7][8] During the climatic changes before the settlers arrived, the crested moa followed the changes in elevation of their sub-alpine habitats with little change in their population size. Despite their relatively low numbers and limited habitat range, their extinction came later than all of the other moa species. Given that there is no evidence that crested moa were ever hunted by humans[5] (unlike every other species of moa), it seems likely that their populations were too isolated and remote to have been accessed by humans.[3][7][8] Instead, it is probable that the crested moa were wiped out by introduced mammals.[3]

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ Oliver 1949, pp. 70–74
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Berentson, Quinn (2012). Moa: the life and death of New Zealand's legendary bird. Craig Potton Publishing. ISBN 9781877517846.
  4. ^ Davies 2003, pp. 95–98
  5. ^ a b c Tennyson, Alan J. D. (2006). Extinct birds of New Zealand. Paul Martinson. Wellington, N.Z.: Te Papa Press. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-909010-21-8. OCLC 80016906.
  6. ^ Olliver 2005
  7. ^ a b c d Rawlence & Cooper 2012
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Rawlence et al. 2012
  9. ^ a b Worthy 1990
  10. ^ a b Cooper et al. 1993
  11. ^ Williams et al. 2005

References edit

  • Berentson, Quinn (2012). Moa: the life and death of New Zealand's legendary bird. Craig Potton Publishing. ISBN 9781877517846.
  • Cooper, A.; Atkinson, I. A. E.; Lee, W. G.; Worthy, T. H. (1993). "Evolution of the moa and their effect on the New Zealand flora". Trends in Ecology & Evolution. 8 (12): 433–437. doi:10.1016/0169-5347(93)90005-a. PMID 21236223.
  • Davies, S. J. J. F. (2003). "Moas (Dinoornithidae)". In Hutchins, Michael; Jackson, Jerome A.; Bock, Walter J (eds.). Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. Vol. 8: Birds I: Tinamous and Ratites to Hoatzins (2nd ed.). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group. ISBN 0-7876-5784-0.
  • Oliver, W.R.B. (1949). "The moas of New Zealand and Australia". Dominion Museum Bulletin. 15.
  • Olliver, Narena (2005). "Crested Moa: Birds (of New Zealand)". New Zealand Birds. Retrieved Feb 15, 2011.
  • Rawlence, N. J.; Cooper, A. (2012). "Youngest reported radiocarbon age of a moa (Aves: Dinornithiformes) dated from a natural site in New Zealand". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 43 (2): 100–107. doi:10.1080/03036758.2012.658817.
  • Rawlence, N. J.; Metcalf, J. L.; Wood, J. R.; Worthy, T. H.; Austin, J. J.; Cooper, A. (2012). "The effect of climate and environmental change on the megafaunal moa of New Zealand in the absence of humans". Quaternary Science Reviews. 50: 141–153. Bibcode:2012QSRv...50..141R. doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2012.07.004.
  • Williams, P. W.; King, D. N. T.; Zhao, J. X.; Collerson, K. D. (2005). "Late Pleistocene to Holocene composite speleothem 18O and 13C chronologies from South Island, New Zealand — did a global Younger Dryas really exist?". Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 230 (3–4): 301–317. Bibcode:2005E&PSL.230..301W. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2004.10.024.
  • Worthy, T. H. (1990). "An analysis of the distribution and relative abundance of moa species (Aves: Dinornithiformes)". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 17 (2): 213–241. doi:10.1080/03014223.1990.10422598.

External links edit

  • Crested Moa information on "New Zealand Birds Online"

March 16, 2024
crested, crested, pachyornis, australis, extinct, species, known, species, have, existed, temporal, range, late, holocenepachyornis, australis, bones, ngarua, cavesconservation, statusextinctscientific, classificationdomain, eukaryotakingdom, animaliaphylum, c. The crested moa Pachyornis australis is an extinct species of moa It is one of the 9 known species of moa to have existed 3 Crested moaTemporal range Late HolocenePachyornis australis bones in Ngarua CavesConservation statusExtinctScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesInfraclass PalaeognathaeOrder DinornithiformesFamily EmeidaeGenus PachyornisSpecies P australisBinomial name Pachyornis australis Oliver 1949 1 2 SynonymsList Pachyornis elephantopus Cracraft 1976 non Owen 1856 Lydekker 1891Mesopteryx sp b Parker 1895Moa are grouped together with emus ostriches kiwi cassowaries rheas and tinamous in the clade Palaeognathae Some of the species of this group are flightless and lacks a keel on their sternum 4 The name crested moa is due to pits being found in their skulls suggesting they had crests of long feathers 3 5 These cranial pits are also found occasionally in Dinornis Anomalopteryx and other Pachyornis species 6 Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Ecology and diet 4 Extinction 5 Footnotes 6 References 7 External linksDescription editThe crested moa weighed around 75 kg 165 lb citation needed The crested moa was smaller than the heavy footed moa Pachyornis elephantopus and their bones are sometimes mistaken for those of P elephantopus due to their similar structure 7 8 Almost nothing is known about the feather pits on the crested moa s skull It is likely the feathers were used in courtship rituals or to challenge rivals but no feathers have been found so their color or size can only be speculated at 3 Distribution and habitat editThe crested moa was endemic to the South Island of New Zealand where it occupied the high altitude sub alpine forests in the North West particularly in the Nelson area 3 8 9 Crested moa remains have been found in the Honeycomb Hills Cave and other caves in the vicinity 3 It was the ecological equivalent of the heavy footed moa in the subalpine zone While their remains have occasionally been found together the heavy footed moa generally preferred warmer and drier lowland areas 7 8 9 However it is likely the crested moa would have migrated from the high country to these more hospitable areas in winter 3 Ecology and diet editAs with all moa species the crested moa filled the role of large herbivores in New Zealand where there are no native terrestrial mammals excluding bats 8 10 The robust beak with a pointed tip sturdy jaws together with large numbers of gizzard stones suggests the diet of Pachyornis was high in fibrous plant material such as branches of trees and shrubs 5 The only real threat of predation came from the Haast s eagle Hieraaetus moorei 10 Extinction editUntil recently it was thought that the crested moa became extinct at the Pleistocene Holocene transition roughly 10 000 years ago 10 000 years BP during a period of significant climatic upheaval 8 11 In 2012 however radiocarbon dating of crested moa remains from Bulmer Cavern showed that the specimen died between 1396 and 1442 AD over 100 years after humans first settled on the Island 7 8 During the climatic changes before the settlers arrived the crested moa followed the changes in elevation of their sub alpine habitats with little change in their population size Despite their relatively low numbers and limited habitat range their extinction came later than all of the other moa species Given that there is no evidence that crested moa were ever hunted by humans 5 unlike every other species of moa it seems likely that their populations were too isolated and remote to have been accessed by humans 3 7 8 Instead it is probable that the crested moa were wiped out by introduced mammals 3 Footnotes edit Oliver 1949 pp 70 74 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 a b c d e f g h Berentson Quinn 2012 Moa the life and death of New Zealand s legendary bird Craig Potton Publishing ISBN 9781877517846 Davies 2003 pp 95 98 a b c Tennyson Alan J D 2006 Extinct birds of New Zealand Paul Martinson Wellington N Z Te Papa Press p 26 ISBN 978 0 909010 21 8 OCLC 80016906 Olliver 2005 a b c d Rawlence amp Cooper 2012 a b c d e f g Rawlence et al 2012 a b Worthy 1990 a b Cooper et al 1993 Williams et al 2005References editBerentson Quinn 2012 Moa the life and death of New Zealand s legendary bird Craig Potton Publishing ISBN 9781877517846 Cooper A Atkinson I A E Lee W G Worthy T H 1993 Evolution of the moa and their effect on the New Zealand flora Trends in Ecology amp Evolution 8 12 433 437 doi 10 1016 0169 5347 93 90005 a PMID 21236223 Davies S J J F 2003 Moas Dinoornithidae In Hutchins Michael Jackson Jerome A Bock Walter J eds Grzimek s Animal Life Encyclopedia Vol 8 Birds I Tinamous and Ratites to Hoatzins 2nd ed Farmington Hills MI Gale Group ISBN 0 7876 5784 0 Oliver W R B 1949 The moas of New Zealand and Australia Dominion Museum Bulletin 15 Olliver Narena 2005 Crested Moa Birds of New Zealand New Zealand Birds Retrieved Feb 15 2011 Rawlence N J Cooper A 2012 Youngest reported radiocarbon age of a moa Aves Dinornithiformes dated from a natural site in New Zealand Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 43 2 100 107 doi 10 1080 03036758 2012 658817 Rawlence N J Metcalf J L Wood J R Worthy T H Austin J J Cooper A 2012 The effect of climate and environmental change on the megafaunal moa of New Zealand in the absence of humans Quaternary Science Reviews 50 141 153 Bibcode 2012QSRv 50 141R doi 10 1016 j quascirev 2012 07 004 Williams P W King D N T Zhao J X Collerson K D 2005 Late Pleistocene to Holocene composite speleothem 18O and 13C chronologies from South Island New Zealand did a global Younger Dryas really exist Earth and Planetary Science Letters 230 3 4 301 317 Bibcode 2005E amp PSL 230 301W doi 10 1016 j epsl 2004 10 024 Worthy T H 1990 An analysis of the distribution and relative abundance of moa species Aves Dinornithiformes New Zealand Journal of Zoology 17 2 213 241 doi 10 1080 03014223 1990 10422598 External links editCrested Moa information on New Zealand Birds Online Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Crested moa amp oldid 1191906602, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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