Ptilinopus sp. (Tubuai Fruit-dove)

[adzebill]

Undescribed species of fruit-dove (Ptilinopus) known from a nearly complete tibiotarsus found on the Atiahara archaeological site in Tubuai (Austral Islands, French Polynesia).
This tibiotarsus is very different from those of the nearest congeneric species, P. rarotongensis (Cook Islands) and P. huttoni (Rapa).
The only two species of fruit-dove known in the Tubuai Group (Ptilinopus undescribed sp. from Tubuai, P. huttoni from Rapa) are highly distinct from other East Polynesian species and from each other.

Source: Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Islands Birds.
D. W. Steadman.

[Deleted]

Cool ! ... and sad of coarse.

But what does that mean, different form P. rarotongensis and form P. huttoni ?

Was it maybe even larger than P. huttoni ? It's not mentioned, right ?

I hope they dig a bit around on Rapa (Iti) itself.

[adzebill]

But what does that mean, different form P. rarotongensis and form P. huttoni ?

Was it maybe even larger than P. huttoni ? It's not mentioned, right ?

I think that the differences are morphological, but I can't say wich they are; the book does not mention anything about the size of the solely bone of this dove found to the date, that apparently is also the only landbird bone found in the Austral Islands.

[adzebill]

the book does not mention anything about the size of the solely bone of this dove found to the date

I was wrong; there is a vague reference. Steadman says that Ptilinopus sp. from Tubuai was medium-sized. I suppose, then, that the bird size was probably about 25-30 cm.