DINORNITHIFORMES Moa
Symbols
➤ Indicates a species (cf. subspecies)
† Indicates an extinct taxon
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Class AVES: Birds
Subclass PALAEOGNATHAE: Palaeognathous Birds
Parvclass RATITAE: Ratites
Cracraft (1974) proposed a monophyletic origin for the entire ratite-tinamou assemblage and united them within the single order Palaeognathiformes. Houde & Olson (1981), Olson (1985b), and Houde (1986, 1988) provided compelling evidence that at least some palaeognathous birds (perhaps including ostriches, moa, and kiwi) may have arisen independently (polyphyletically), by neotony, from neognathous ancestors and are, thus, secondarily palaeognathous. Researchers are virtually unanimous that palaeognaths are monophyletic, that Palaeognathae is the sister taxon to Neognathae, and that Tinamiformes are embedded within Ratitae (Knox et al. 2002; Cracraft et al. 2004; Harshman et al. 2008; M. Phillips et al. 2010; A. Baker et al. 2014). Therefore, it seems prudent to revert to the more traditional arrangement (e.g. Archey 1941; Brodkorb 1963; Checklist Committee 1970) of placing each ratite family in separate orders.
Order †DINORNITHIFORMES: Moa
Detailed diagnoses and histories of nomenclature for all moa taxa are given in Worthy & Holdaway (2002), and Worthy & Scofield (2012). Bruce & McAllan (1990) showed that for several taxa the original publication of the name occurred in either The Athenaeum or in The Literary Gazette. However, these were often nomina nuda as detailed in the synonymies listed below. If the name appeared in both publications on the same day, Bruce & McAllan (1990) acted as first revisers and selected one as the original publication for that name.
Analysis of morphological geographical variation within Dinornis supports the concept of a single highly dimorphic species on each island, whose average size varies with habitat, thus explaining the size variation previously attributed to three taxa (Bunce et al. 2003; Worthy et al. 2005). Referral of Palapteryx geranoides Owen to Pachyornis by Worthy (2005b) resulted in Pachyornis mappini being synonymised under Pachyornis geranoides, thus necessitating that moa records previously referred to Euryapteryx geranoides become Euryapteryx gravis.
Family †MEGALAPTERYGIDAE Bunce, Worthy, Phillips, Holdaway, Willerslev, Haile, Shapiro, Scofield, Drummond, Kamp & Cooper: Upland Moa
Megalapterygidae Bunce, Worthy, Phillips, Holdaway, Willerslev, Haile, Shapiro, Scofield, Drummond, Kamp & Cooper, 2009: Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 106: 20647 – Type genus Megalapteryx Haast, 1886.
Bunce et al. (2009), in the most comprehensive analysis of molecular data to date, confirmed that the monotypic moa genus Megalapteryx was sister to all other moa and hence outside of Emeidae, as has been shown repeatedly by analyses of mitochondrial DNA (e.g. A. Cooper 1997; and references in Bunce et al. 2009) and by morphological analyses (Worthy & Holdaway 2002). Bunce et al. (2009) acknowledged this by erecting the family Megalapterygidae and showed there is no basis for the subfamilies within Emeidae. Megalapterygidae should be the first family in Dinornithiformes. We no longer recognise the subfamilies Anomalopteryginae Archey or Emeinae Bonaparte.
Genus †Megalapteryx Haast
Megalapteryx Haast, 1886: Trans. Zool. Soc. London 12(5): 161 – Type species (by monotypy) Megalapteryx hectori Haast = Megalapteryx didinus (Owen).
Palaeocasuarius Rothschild, 1907: Extinct Birds: 219 – Type species (by original designation) Palaeocasuarius haasti Rothschild = Megalapteryx didinus (Owen).
➤ †Megalapteryx didinus (Owen)
Upland Moa | Moa Pukepuke
Dinornis didinus Owen, 1882 (Oct.): Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1882 (36): 549. Nomen nudum.
Dinornis didinus Owen, 1883: Trans. Zool. Soc. London 11(8): 257 – Queenstown.
Megalapteryx hectori Haast, 1884: Trans. N.Z. Inst. 16: 577. Nomen nudum.
Megalapteryx hectori Haast, 1886: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1885 (35): 541. Nomen nudum.
Megalapteryx hectori Haast, 1886: Trans. Zool. Soc. London 12(5): 162 – Takaka, Nelson.
Megalapteryx tenuipes Lydekker, 1891: Cat. Fossil Birds Brit. Museum: 251 – Lake Wakatipu.
Anomalopteryx didina (Owen); Lydekker 1891, Cat. Fossil Birds Brit. Museum: 277.
Megalapteryx tenuipes Lydekker; Andrews 1897, Novit. Zool. 4: 188.
Megalapteryx hamiltoni Rothschild, 1907: Extinct Birds: 197 – “Waingongoro, North Island”, error (fide Oliver 1949, Dom. Mus. Bull. 15: 151).
Palaeocasuarius haasti Rothschild, 1907: Extinct Birds: 220 – Maniototo, Otago.
Palaeocasuarius velox Rothschild, 1907: Extinct Birds: 220 – Maniototo, Otago.
Palaeocasuarius elegans Rothschild, 1907: Extinct Birds: 220 – Maniototo, Otago.
Megalapteryx didinus (Owen); Oliver 1930, New Zealand Birds, 1st edition: 42.
Megalapteryx benhami Archey, 1941: Bull. Auck. Inst. Museum 1: 35 – Mt Arthur [Salisbury] Tableland, Nelson.
Remains in Late Pleistocene and Holocene sites and in middens. South Island only; the type locality for Megalapteryx hamiltoni must be an error (Oliver 1949). Common in subalpine zones throughout, especially north-west Nelson, Fiordland, and Otago, where deposits are available; rare in eastern and lowland areas (Worthy 1988b, 1989a).
Family †EMEIDAE Bonaparte: Emeid Moa
Emeinae Bonaparte, 1854: Ann. Sci. Nat., Zool., Paris, 4th series. 1: 152 – Type genus Emeus Reichenbach, 1853.
Genus †Anomalopteryx Reichenbach
Anomalopteryx Reichenbach, 1853: Handb. Spec. Ornith. 3: xxx – Type species (by monotypy) Dinornis didiformis Owen = Anomalopteryx didiformis (Owen).
Graya Bonaparte, 1856: Compt. Rend. Séa. Acad. Sci., Paris 43(18): 841 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Dinornis dromaeoides Owen = Anomalopteryx didiformis (Owen).
Anomalornis Hutton, 1897: Trans. N.Z. Inst. 29: 543. Unnecessary nomen novum for Anomalopteryx Reichenbach, 1853.
➤ †Anomalopteryx didiformis (Owen)
Little Bush Moa | Moariki
Dinornis didiformis Owen, 1843: The Literary Gazette 1402: 778. Nomen nudum.
Dinornis didiformis Owen, 1844 (Mar.): Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1843 (11): 144. Nomen nudum.
Dinornis dromaeoides Owen, 1844 (Mar.): Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1843 (11): 145. Nomen nudum.
Dinornis didiformis Owen, 1844 (Jun.): Trans. Zool. Soc. London 3(3): 242 – Poverty Bay.
Dinornis dromaeoides Owen, 1844 (Jun.): Trans. Zool. Soc. London 3(3): 253 – Poverty Bay.
Dinornis dromioides Owen, 1846: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1846 (14): 46. Unjustified emendation.
Dinornis (Palapteryx) dromioides Owen, 1846: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1846 (14): 47. Unjustified emendation.
Dinornis parvus Owen, 1883: Trans. Zool. Soc. London 11(8): 233 – Pokororo, Nelson.
Dinornis oweni Haast, 1886: Trans. Zool. Soc. London 12(5): 171 – Whangarei.
Anomalopteryx dromaeoides (Owen); Lydekker 1891, Cat. Fossil Birds Brit. Museum: 266.
Anomalopteryx didiformis (Owen); Lydekker 1891, Cat. Fossil Birds Brit. Museum: 275.
Anomalopteryx parva (Owen); Lydekker 1891, Cat. Fossil Birds Brit. Museum: 278.
Anomalopteryx antiquus Hutton, 1892: Trans. N.Z. Inst. 24: 124 – Timaru.
Anomalopteryx fortis Hutton, 1893: Trans. N.Z. Inst. 25: 9 – Glenmark.
Anomalopteryx antiqua Hutton, 1893: Trans. N.Z. Inst. 25: 14. Unjustified emendation.
Anomalornis gracilis Hutton, 1897: Trans. N.Z. Inst. 29: 546, pl. 47, fig. A – Opito, near Mercury Bay, Coromandel. Junior secondary homonym of Dinornis gracilis Owen, 1854.
Anomalornis didiformis (Owen); Hutton 1897, Trans. N.Z. Inst 29: 547.
Anomalornis owenii (Haast); Hutton 1897, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 29: 549. Unjustified emendation.
Anomalopteryx parvus (Owen); Oliver 1930, New Zealand Birds, 1st edition: 45.
Pachyornis owenii (Haast); Archey 1941, Bull. Auck. Inst. Museum 1: 44. Unjustified emendation.
Remains in Late Pleistocene and Holocene sites and in middens (Holdaway et al. 2001; Worthy & Holdaway 2002; Tennyson & Martinson 2007). North Island and South Island: widespread in areas formerly with closed-canopy forests (particularly in cave deposits); rare in Canterbury, Otago, and North Island coastal dunes. Stewart Island / Rakiura: middens only, rare.
Genus †Pachyornis Lydekker
Pachyornis Lydekker, 1891: Cat. Fossil Birds Brit. Museum: 316 – Type species (by original designation) Dinornis elephantopus Owen = Pachyornis elephantopus (Owen).
The holotype cranium of Palapteryx geranoides Owen was previously regarded as belonging to Euryapteryx. Thus, it was treated as the holotype for the larger of the two species placed in that genus (e.g. Worthy & Holdaway 2002). However, reassessment of the holotype of Palapteryx geranoides revealed it to be a Pachyornis and, therefore, Pachyornis geranoides (Owen) is a senior synonym of Pachyornis mappini Archey (Worthy 2005b). Based on this, all North Island records of Pachyornis are referable to Pachyornis geranoides (Owen), and the larger Euryapteryx taxon is Euryapteryx gravis.
➤ †Pachyornis geranoides (Owen)
Mantell’s Moa | Moa Ruarangi
Palapteryx geranoides Owen, 1848 (13 Apr.): Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1848 (16): 1, 7. Nomen nudum.
Palapteryx geranoides Owen, 1848 (22 Apr.): Trans. Zool. Soc. London 3(5): 346. Nomen nudum.
Palapteryx geranoides Owen, 1848 (22 Apr.): Trans. Zool. Soc. London 3(5): 361, pl. 54, figs 1–3 – Waingongoro, North Island.
Dinornis geranoides (Owen); Owen 1866, Trans. Zool. Soc. London 5(5): 395, 402, pl. 65, figs 5, 6; pl. 67, figs 5, 6.
Dinornis curtus; Owen 1871, Trans. Zool. Soc. London 7(5): pl. 44, figs 7–10. Not Dinornis curtus Owen, 1846.
Anomalopteryx(?) geranoides (Owen); Lydekker 1891, Cat. Fossil Birds Brit. Museum: 288.
Anomalopteryx curta (Owen); Lydekker 1891, Cat. Fossil Birds Brit. Museum: 281. In part. Unjustified emendation.
Cela geranoides (Owen); Hutton 1891, New Zealand Journ. Sci. (new series) 1: 248. In part.
Pachyornis pygmaeus; Hutton 1895, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 27: 174, pl. 9. Not Euryapteryx pygmaeus Hutton, 1891.
Dinornis expunctus Archey, 1927: Trans. N.Z. Inst. 58: 152. Unnecessary nomen novum for Palapteryx geranoides Owen, 1848.
Emeus exilis (Hutton); Oliver 1930, New Zealand Birds, 1st edition: 49. In part.
Pachyornis mappini Archey, 1941: Bull. Auck. Inst. Museum 1: 41, pls 4–5, 7, 9–12, 15 – Mangaotaki, Piopio.
Pachyornis (Mauiornis) septentrionalis Oliver, 1949: Dom. Mus. Bull. 15: 59, figs 29–37 – Te Pohue, Hawke’s Bay.
Pachyornis (Mauiornis) mappini (Archey); Oliver 1949, Dom. Mus. Bull. 15: 59, figs 35, 37–40.
Pachyornis septentrionalis Oliver; Brodkorb 1963, Bull. Florida State Museum (Biol. Sci.) 7(4): 211.
Pachyornis geranoides (Owen); Worthy 2005, Tuhinga 16: 40.
Remains in Late Pleistocene and Holocene sites and in middens. North Island only. Considerably larger in Pleistocene than in Holocene, and sexually dimorphic with females larger (Worthy 1987; Huynen et al. 2003). The “skeleton” type of Dinornis oweni Haast includes a skull (the type) that belongs to Anomalopteryx, and its post-cranials; however, the latter are small bones belonging to Pachyornis geranoides (Millener 1982). A full history of the taxon is given in Worthy (2005b).
➤ †Pachyornis elephantopus (Owen)
Heavy-footed Moa | Moa Waewae Taumaha
Dinornis elephantopus Owen, 1856 (12 Apr.): The Athenaeum 1485: 462 – Awamoa, Otago.
Dinornis elephantopus var. major Hutton, 1875: Trans. N.Z. Inst. 7: 276, table A – Hamilton Swamp, Otago.
Dinornis queenslandiae De Vis, 1884: Proc. Roy. Soc. Queensland 1: 23 – King’s Creek, Queensland, Australia, error for New Zealand midden (fide Scarlett 1969, Mem. Queensland Mus. 15(3): 211).
Pachyornis elephantopus (Owen); Lydekker 1891, Cat. Fossil Birds Brit. Museum: 321.
Pachyornis immanis Lydekker, 1891: Cat. Fossil Birds Brit. Museum: 343 – South Island.
Euryapteryx ponderosus Hutton, 1891: New Zealand Journ. Sci. (new series) 1(6): 249 – Hamilton Swamp, Otago.
Euryapteryx elephantopus (Owen); Hutton 1892, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 24: 135.
Pachyornis rothschildi Lydekker, 1892: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1891 (33): 481, pl. 38 – New Zealand.
Pachyornis inhabilis Hutton, 1893: Trans. N.Z. Inst. 25: 11 – ?Canterbury.
Pachyornis valgus Hutton, 1893: Trans. N.Z. Inst. 25: 12 – Enfield, Canterbury.
Euryapteryx crassa; Benham 1910, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 42: 354. Not Dinornis crassus Owen, 1846.
Euryapteryx immanis (Lydekker); Lambrecht 1933, Handb. Palaeornithologie: 150.
Pachyornis (Pounamua) murihiku Oliver, 1949: Dom. Mus. Bull. 15: 59 – Greenhills dunes, Southland.
Pachyornis murihiku Oliver, 1949: Dom. Mus. Bull. 15: 67 – Greenhills dunes, Southland.
Pachyornis queenslandiae (De Vis); Oliver 1949, Dom. Mus. Bull. 15: 80.
Dromiceius queenslandiae (De Vis); A.H. Miller 1963, Rec. South Austr. Museum 14(3): 417.
In natural deposits and middens (Benham 1910 [not Euryapteryx]; Worthy 1998c): Late Pleistocene and Holocene. South Island, Stewart Island / Rakiura. There are no North Island records for this species (Worthy & Holdaway 2002, and references therein; contra Scarlett 1968; Millener 1981a).
➤ †Pachyornis australis Oliver
Crested Moa | Moa Koukou
Mesopteryx sp. β Parker, 1895: Trans. Zool. Soc. London 13(11): 378.
Pachyornis (Pachyornis) australis Oliver, 1949: Dom. Mus. Bull. 15: 59.
Pachyornis australis Oliver, 1949: Dom. Mus. Bull. 15: 70 – Salisbury Tableland, Nelson.
Pachyornis elephantopus; Cracraft 1976, Smithsonian Contrib. Paleobiology 27: 196. Not Dinornis elephantopus Owen, 1856.
Remains from Late Pleistocene and Holocene sites. South Island only (Worthy 1989a,b). The youngest dated remains were AD 1396–1442 (Rawlence & Cooper 2013). Subalpine areas mainly, but also Southland dunes. As yet, recognised from few sites; not yet verified from midden sites.
Genus †Emeus Reichenbach
Emeus Reichenbach, 1853: Handb. Spec. Ornith. 3: xxx – Type species (by monotypy) Dinornis crassus Owen = Emeus crassus (Owen).
Syornis Reichenbach, 1853: Handb. Spec. Ornith. 3: xxx – Type species (by monotypy) Dinornis casuarinus Owen = Emeus crassus (Owen).
Meionornis Haast, 1874: Trans. N.Z. Inst. 6: 426 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Dinornis casuarinus Owen = Emeus crassus (Owen).
Mesopteryx Hutton, 1891: New Zealand Journ. Sci. (new series) 1(6): 248 – Type species (by monotypy) Dinornis huttoni Owen = Emeus crassus (Owen).
➤ †Emeus crassus (Owen)
Eastern Moa | Moa Mōmona
Dinornis crassus Owen, 1846: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1846 (14): 46 – Waikouaiti, Otago.
Dinornis casuarinus Owen, 1846: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1846 (14): 47 – Waikouaiti, Otago.
Emeus crassus (Owen); Reichenbach 1850, Avium Syst. Nat.: 30.
Syornis casuarinus (Owen); Reichenbach 1850, Avium Syst. Nat.: 30.
Dinornis rheides Owen, 1870: Trans. Zool. Soc. London 7(2): 132 – Awamoa, Otago.
Dinornis huttoni Owen, 1879: Extinct Wingless Birds New Zealand: 430 – Hamilton Swamp, Otago.
Anomalopteryx casuarina (Owen); Lydekker 1891, Cat. Fossil Birds Brit. Museum: 257.
Syornis crassus (Owen); Hutton 1891, New Zealand Journ. Sci. (new series) 1(6): 249.
Mesopteryx didinus; Hutton 1892, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 24: 129. In part.
Mesopteryx didina; Hutton 1893, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 25: 13. Not Dinornis didinus Owen, 1883.
Mesopteryx casuarina (Owen); Parker 1895, Trans. Zool. Soc. London 13(11): 377.
Mesopteryx, species γ Parker, 1895: Trans. Zool. Soc. London 13(11): 378 – Hamilton Swamp, Otago.
Meionornis didinus; Hutton 1896, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 28: 636. Not Dinornis didinus Owen, 1883.
Meionornis casuarinus (Owen); Hutton 1896, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 28: 636.
Euryapteryx crassus (Owen); Hutton 1896, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 28: 638.
Megalapteryx huttoni (Owen); Rothschild 1907, Extinct Birds: 199.
?Cela rheides (Owen); Rothschild 1907, Extinct Birds: 207.
Cela casuarinus (Owen); Rothschild 1907, Extinct Birds: 207.
Emeus casuarinus (Owen); Oliver 1930, New Zealand Birds, 1st edition: 48.
Emeus huttonii (Owen); Oliver 1930, New Zealand Birds, 1st edition: 49. Unjustified emendation.
Remains in Late Pleistocene and Holocene deposits and in middens. South Island; east of the Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana only, and always in lowland areas (Holdaway et al. 2001; Worthy & Holdaway 2002; Tennyson & Martinson 2007).
Genus †Euryapteryx Haast
Cela Reichenbach, 1853: Handb. Spec. Ornith. 3: xxx – Type species (by monotypy) Dinornis curtus Owen = Euryapteryx curtus (Owen). Junior homonym of Cela Moehring, 1758.
Celeus Bonaparte, 1856: Compt. Rend. Séa. Acad. Sci., Paris 43(18): 841. Nomen novum for Cela Reichenbach, 1853. Junior homonym of Celeus Boie, 1831.
Euryapteryx Haast, 1874: Trans. N.Z. Inst. 6: 427 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Dinornis gravis Owen = Euryapteryx curtus gravis (Owen).
Zelornis Oliver, 1949: Dom. Mus. Bull. 15: 117 – Type species (by original designation) Euryapteryx exilis Hutton = Euryapteryx curtus (Owen).
Euryapteryx curtus (Owen, 1846) and Euryapteryx gravis (Owen, 1870) were considered to be full species by the Checklist Committee (2010); however, following a review by Worthy & Scofield (2012), these taxa are now considered to be subspecies of Euryapteryx curtus.
➤ †Euryapteryx curtus (Owen)
Stout-legged Moa | Moa Hakahaka
†Euryapteryx curtus curtus (Owen)
Coastal Moa
Dinornis curtus Owen, 1846: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1846(14): 48 – North Island.
Cela curtus (Owen); Reichenbach 1850, Avium Syst. Nat.: 30.
Anomalopteryx curta (Owen); Lydekker 1891, Cat. Fossil Birds Brit. Museum: 46. Unjustified emendation.
Mesopteryx, species α Parker, 1895: Trans. Zool. Soc. London 13(11): 378 – Te Aute, Hawke’s Bay.
Euryapteryx exilis Hutton, 1897: Trans. N.Z. Inst. 29: 552 – Wangaehu, South Taranaki.
Anomalopteryx curtus (Owen); Oliver 1930, New Zealand Birds, 1st edition: 46.
Euryapteryx curtus (Owen); Archey 1941, Bull. Auck. Inst. Museum 1: 60.
Euryapteryx tane Oliver, 1949: Dom. Mus. Bull. 15: 105 – Doubtless Bay.
Zelornis exilis (Hutton); Oliver 1949, Dom. Mus. Bull. 15: 121.
Euryapteryx curtus (Owen); Worthy 2005, Tuhinga 16: 57.
Euryapteryx curtus curtus (Owen); Worthy & Scofield 2012, New Zealand Journ. Zool. 39: 131.
Remains in many Late Pleistocene and Holocene deposits, and in middens. A few mid-Nukumaruan records (2.1 Ma; Worthy et al. 1991). North Island and Great Barrier Island only. Common in former shrubland communities, particularly of dunes. Shows size-variation with geological age and sex (females larger; Worthy 1987; Huynen et al. 2003).
†Euryapteryx curtus gravis (Owen)
Stout-legged Moa | Moa Hakahaka
Dinornis gravis Owen, 1870: Trans. Zool. Soc. London 7(2): 141 – Kakanui River, Otago.
Euryapteryx gravis (Owen); Haast 1874, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 6: 426.
Euryapteryx pygmaeus Hutton, 1891: New Zealand Journ. Sci. (new series) 1(6): 249 – Takaka Hill, Nelson.
Emeus gravipes Lydekker, 1891: Cat. Fossil Birds Brit. Museum: 297 – Kakanui River, Otago.
Euryapteryx compacta Hutton, 1893: Trans. N.Z. Inst. 25: 6 – Enfield, Canterbury.
Emeus crassus; Parker 1895, Trans. Zool. Soc. London 13(11): 379. Not Dinornis crassus Owen, 1846.
Emeus, species α Parker, 1895: Trans. Zool. Soc. London 13(11): 379 – Shag Point, Otago.
Emeus, species β Parker, 1895: Trans. Zool. Soc. London 13(11): 379 – Glenmark, Canterbury.
Emeus, species γ Parker, 1895: Trans. Zool. Soc. London 13(11): 380 – Hamilton Swamp, Otago.
Euryapteryx ponderosa; Hamilton 1898, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 30: 445. Not Euryapteryx ponderosus Hutton, 1891.
Emeus boothi Rothschild, 1907: Extinct Birds: 210. Unnecessary nomen novum for Emeus, species α Parker, 1895.
Emeus haasti Rothschild, 1907: Extinct Birds: 210. Unnecessary nomen novum for Emeus, species β Parker, 1895.
Emeus parkeri Rothschild, 1907: Extinct Birds: 210. Unnecessary nomen novum for Emeus, species γ Parker, 1895.
Euryapteryx kuranui Oliver 1930, New Zealand Birds, 1st edition: 52 – Castlepoint, Wairarapa.
Euryapteryx gravipes (Lydekker); Oliver 1930, New Zealand Birds, 1st edition: 53.
Zelornis haasti (Rothschild); Oliver 1949, Dom. Mus. Bull. 15: 125.
Euryapteryx geranoides; Checklist Committee 1990, Checklist Birds N.Z.: 4. Not Palapteryx geranoides Owen, 1848.
Euryapteryx curtus (Owen); Tennyson & Martinson 2006, Extinct Birds of New Zealand: 36. In part.
Euryapteryx curtus gravis (Owen); Worthy & Scofield 2012, N.Z. Journ. Zool. 39: 131.
Remains in many Late Pleistocene and Holocene deposits; also in middens. A few mid-Nukumaruan records (2.1 Ma; Worthy et al. 1991). South Island only. Most abundant in drier eastern regions in the Holocene (Holdaway et al. 2001; Worthy & Holdaway 2002; Tennyson & Martinson 2007).
Taxon rediagnosed by Worthy (1992) and Worthy & Holdaway (2002). Until the recognition that the type of Palapteryx geranoides was a Pachyornis (Worthy 2005b), the stout-legged moa had been referred to Euryapteryx geranoides (Owen), since Cracraft (1976) synonymised Dinornis gravis Owen with it.
Family †DINORNITHIDAE Bonaparte: Giant Moa
Dinornithidae Bonaparte, 1849: Consp. Syst. Ornith.: 1 – Type genus Dinornis Owen, 1843.
The Checklist Committee (2010) wrongly listed the author of Dinornithidae as Bonaparte, 1853. The correct author is Bonaparte (1849).
Genus †Dinornis Owen
Dinornis Owen, 1843: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1843 (11): 10 – Type species (by monotypy) Dinornis novaezealandiae Owen.
Megalornis Owen, 1843: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1843 (11): 19. Unnecessary nomen novum for Dinornis Owen, 1843. Junior homonym of Megalornis G.R. Gray, 1841.
Palapteryx Owen, 1846: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1846 (14): 46 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Dinornis ingens Owen = Dinornis novaezealandiae Owen.
Movia Reichenbach, 1853: Handb. Spec. Ornith. 3: xxx – Type species (by monotypy) Dinornis ingens Owen = Dinornis novaezealandiae Owen.
Moa Reichenbach, 1853: Handb. Spec. Ornith. 3: xxx – Type species (by monotypy) Dinornis giganteus Owen = Dinornis novaezealandiae Owen.
Owenia G.R. Gray, 1855: Cat. Genera Subgen. Birds Brit. Mus.: 152 – Type species (by original designation) Dinornis struthoides Owen = Dinornis novaezealandiae Owen.
Tylopteryx Hutton, 1891: New Zealand Journ. Sci. (new series) 1(6): 247 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Dinornis gracilis Owen = Dinornis novaezealandiae Owen.
The revision by Bunce et al. (2003), supported by data in Huynen et al. (2003), revealed that there were only two species of Dinornis in New Zealand, one in the North Island and one in the South Island. In each case, all small birds (formerly assigned to D. struthoides) were shown to be males and all large ones (hitherto D. novaezealandiae and D. giganteus) females. Geographic variation, with size-depression in wetter regions with closed forest, explains size variation (Bunce et al. 2003; Worthy et al. 2005). The following taxonomy and nomenclature follows Bunce et al. (2003).
➤ †Dinornis novaezealandiae Owen
North Island Giant Moa | Kuranui
Dinornis Novae-Zealandiae Owen, 1843 (Jul.): Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1843 (11): 8 – Poverty Bay.
Dinornis giganteus Owen, 1843 (2 Dec.): The Literary Gazette 1402: 778 – Poverty Bay.
Dinornis struthoides Owen, 1843 (2 Dec.): The Literary Gazette 1402: 778. Nomen nudum.
Dinornis ingens Owen, 1844: Trans. Zool. Soc. London 3(3): 247 – Poverty Bay.
Dinornis struthoides Owen, 1844: Trans. Zool. Soc. London 3(3): 244 – Poverty Bay.
Dinornis gigas Owen, 1846: Trans. Zool. Soc. London 3(4): 314, pl. 39. Unjustified emendation.
Dinornis gracilis Owen, 1854: The Athenaeum 1412: 1402 – Opito, Coromandel.
Palapteryx ingens (Owen); Haast 1869, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1(8): 84.
Dinornis struthioides Lydekker, 1891; Cat. Fossil Birds Brit. Museum: 242. Unjustified emendation.
Dinornis firmus Hutton, 1891: New Zealand Journ. Sci. (new series) 1(6): 247 – Poverty Bay.
Dinornis excelsus Hutton, 1891: New Zealand Journ. Sci. (new series) 1(6): 247 – Te Aute, Hawke’s Bay.
Dinornis dromioides; Oliver 1930, New Zealand Birds, 1st edition: 41. Not Dinornis dromioides Owen, 1846.
Dinornis hercules Oliver, 1949: Dom. Mus. Bull. 15: 174 – Coonoor, northern Wairarapa.
Dinornis gazella Oliver, 1949: Dom. Mus. Bull. 15: 166 – Te Aute, Hawke’s Bay.
Dinornis novaezealandiae Owen; Checklist Committee 1990, Checklist Birds N.Z.: 6.
Dinornis novaezelandiae Owen; Tennyson & Martinson 2006, Extinct Birds of New Zealand: 22. Unjustified emendation (see Murdoch 2008, Notornis 55: 228).
Remains in many Late Pleistocene and Holocene cave, swamp, and dune sites, and in middens. North Island, including Great Barrier Island / Aotea (Holdaway et al. 2001; Worthy & Holdaway 2002; Tennyson & Martinson 2007). One mid-Nukumaruan record (1.8 Ma; Worthy et al. 1991).
➤ †Dinornis robustus Owen
South Island Giant Moa | Moa Nunui
Dinornis ingens var. robustus Owen, 1846: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1846 (14): 48 – Waikouaiti, Otago.
Palapteryx robustus (Owen); Owen 1851, Trans. Zool. Soc. London 4(1): 2, pl. 1, fig. 1.
Dinornis maximus Haast, 1869: Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1: 87 – Glenmark, Canterbury.
Dinornis altus Owen, 1879: Extinct Wingless Birds New Zealand: 361 – South Island.
Palapteryx plenus Hutton, 1891: New Zealand Journ. Sci. (new series) 1(6): 248 – ?South Island.
Dinornis validus Hutton, 1891: New Zealand Journ. Sci. (new series) 1(6): 247 – Glenmark, Canterbury.
Dinornis torosus Hutton, 1891: New Zealand Journ. Sci. (new series) 1(6): 247 – Takaka Hill, Nelson.
Dinornis potens Hutton, 1891: New Zealand Journ. Sci. (new series) 1(6): 247 – Heathcote, Canterbury.
Dinornis strenuus Hutton, 1893: Trans. N.Z. Inst. 25: 8 – Enfield, Canterbury.
Dinornis robustus (Owen); Bunce et al. 2003; Nature 425: 174.
Remains in many Late Pleistocene and Holocene cave, dune, and swamp sites, and in middens. South Island, including D’Urville Island; Stewart Island / Rakiura. Widespread. Largest individuals were in lowlands and eastern regions (Holdaway et al. 2001; Worthy & Holdaway 2002; Tennyson & Martinson 2007).