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Post by another specialist on Jun 6, 2005 5:45:00 GMT
Gallirallus huiatua
Steadman, Worthy, Anderson & Walter 2000
Holocene of Niue, Savage Islands, sw Pacific Ocean
Primary materials: Holotype: tarsometatarsus
Secondary materials: Paratypes: proximal part ulna, femur shaft, distal part tibiotarsus
David W. Steadman, Trevor H. Worthy, Atholl J. Anderson & Richard Walter,
New species and records of birds from prehistoric sites on Niue, Southwest Pacific
The Wilson Bulletin 112 (2000): 165-186
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Post by another specialist on Nov 2, 2005 14:45:59 GMT
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Post by dysmorodrepanis on Nov 22, 2005 0:46:42 GMT
Original description:
"Gallirallus huiatua, new species
Holotype.—MNZ S37708, tarsometatarsus (Fig. 11), collected at Anakuli, Niue by T. H. Worthy on 7–12 January 1995.
Topotypical paratypes.—MNZ S37709–S37711, proximal ulna, shaft of femur, distal tibiotarsus (Fig. 12). Minimum of one individual.
Diagnosis.—A medium-sized (Table 5) species of Gallirallus that differs from congeners as follows. Ulna more dorso-ventrally compressed than in G. philippensis. In cranial aspect, femur with mid-shaft relatively straight as in G. philippensis (constricted in G. ripleyi and G. undescribed sp. from ‘Eua) and distal half of shaft of intermediate stoutness as in G. ripleyi (thickened in G. undescribed sp. from ‘Eua, narrow in G. philippensis). Tibiotarsus with deep incisura intercondylaris as in G. undescribed sp. from ‘Eua (shallow in G. ripleyi, intermediate to deep in G. philippensis) and flat disto-dorsal portion of shaft as in G. ripleyi (concave in G. undescribed sp. from ‘Eua and G. philippensis). Tarsometatarsus slender overall as in G. philippensis (stout in G. ripleyi and G. undescribed sp. from ‘Eua), with shallow shaft (deep in the others), and flat disto-dorsal surface of shaft (concave in G. undescribed sp. from ‘Eua and G. philippensis, intermediate to concave in G. ripleyi).
Etymology.—From the Niuean compound word hui-atua, which means ‘‘the bones [hui] of the dead [atua]’’ (Smith 1902:207).
Remarks.—The morphology of Gallirallus huiatua does not argue for a closer relationship to any one species than another, including the two geographically nearest congeneric flightless species, G. ripleyi of Mangaia (Steadman 1987) and G. undescribed species of ‘Eua (Steadman 1993a). Selected intra-elemental ratios (C/A of ulna; B/A, C/A, D/A of femur) and inter-elemental ratios [C(ulna)/C(femur)] in Table 5 suggest that G. huiatua was flightless. The widespread, volant G. philippensis occurs on Niue today. Unlike its flightless congeners, G. philippensis is unknown on remote islands of Oceania before the arrival of people (Steadman 1993a, 1995)."
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Post by another specialist on Nov 22, 2005 20:10:57 GMT
One for the birds David W. Steadman, Trevor H. Worthy, ATHOLL J. ANDERSON, and Richard Walter 2000 New Species and Recorrds of Birds from Prehistoric Sites on Niue, Southwest Pacific. Wilson Bulletin 112(2): 165-186. Abstract: We report the first prehistoric bird bones from the isolated limestone island of Niue, South Pacific. Discovered in a cave known as Anakuli, the bones are Holocene in age but lack cultural association. They represent three extinct species: a night heron (Nycticorax kalavikai), a new species known thus far only from Niue but closely related to an extinct undescribed species from Tonga, the “Niuafo’ou” Megapode (Megapodius pritchardii), known historically only from Niuafo’ou (Tonga) but recorded from prehistoric sites elsewhere in Tonga; and Gallirallus huiatua, a new species of flightless rail presumably endemic to Niue and distinct from extinct, flightless congeneric species from island groups immediately east (Cook Islands) and west (Tonga) of Niue. The first two species are in accord with the overall biogeographic affinity of the extant avifauna of Niue, which is West Polynesian rather than East Polynesian. 64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:5u_6d3NseUIJ:car.anu.edu.au/abstract-publications.html+Gallirallus+huiatua&hl=entinyurl.com/93a87 |
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Post by dysmorodrepanis on Aug 18, 2006 0:59:07 GMT
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Post by another specialist on Sept 7, 2008 16:16:16 GMT
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Post by another specialist on Sept 9, 2008 21:09:31 GMT
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