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The tops of elephant bird skulls display punctuated marks, which may have been attachment sites for fleshy structures or head feathers. [18] Mullerornis is the smallest of the elephant birds, with a body mass of around 80 kilograms (180 lb), [16] with its skeleton much less robustly built than Aepyornis. [19]
Aepyornis is an extinct genus of elephant bird formerly endemic to Madagascar. The genus had two species, the smaller A. hildebrandti and the larger A. maximus, which is possibly the largest bird ever to have lived. [2] Its closest living relative is the New Zealand kiwi. [3]
There are no rules for how many species should make a genus, a family, or any other higher taxon (that is, a taxon in a category above the species level). [52] [53] It should be a natural group (that is, non-artificial, non-polyphyletic), as judged by a biologist, using all the information available to them. Equally ranked higher taxa in ...
Notopalaeognathae is a clade that contains the order Rheiformes (rheas), the clade Novaeratitae (which includes the cassowaries and emus, the kiwis, and the extinct elephant birds), and the clade Dinocrypturi (comprising the tinamous and the extinct moas). [3]
Palaeognathae (/ ˌ p æ l i ˈ ɒ ɡ n ə θ i /; from Ancient Greek παλαιός (palaiós) 'old' and γνάθος (gnáthos) 'jaw') is an infraclass [1] of birds, called paleognaths or palaeognaths, within the class Aves of the clade Archosauria.
Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey, which includes hawks, eagles, kites, harriers, and Old World vultures. These birds have very large powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons and keen eyesight. Nineteen species have been recorded in Virginia. White-tailed kite, Elanus leucurus (A)
The largest bird in the fossil record may be the extinct elephant birds (Vorombe/Aepyornis) of Madagascar, which were related to the ostrich. They exceeded 3 m (9.8 ft) in height and 500 kg (1,100 lb) in weight. [44] The last of the elephant birds became extinct approximately 1000 years ago.
The elephant birds of Madagascar †Aepyornithidae - greater elephant birds †Aepyornis. Giant elephant bird, Aepyornis maximus – a 2018 study moved the largest elephant bird specimens to the genus Vorombe, [4] but a 2023 genetic study regarded Vorombe as synonymous with Aepyornis maximus [5] Hildebrandt's elephant bird, Aepyornis hildebrandti