Rhynochetos orarius (1 Viewer)

Fred Ruhe said:

Jörn Theuerkauf & Roman Gula, 2018

Indirect evidence for body size reduction in a flightless island bird after human colonisation

Journal of Ornithology. in press. doi:10.1007/s10336-018-1545-0

Abstract: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10336-018-1545-0

Rhynochetos orarius has been described from Holocene fossils as the sister species of the smaller extant Kagu Rhynochetos jubatus, a bird endemic to New Caledonia. However, we argue that there has never been evidence justifying the description of R. orarius. Additionally, for biogeographical reasons it seems unlikely that two Kagu species would have evolved in New Caledonia. We therefore synonymise R. orarius and R. jubatus and postulate that Holocene Kagu were larger than today probably because historic hunting by humans targeted larger birds in richer habitat.

Free pdf: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10336-018-1545-0.pdf

Enjoy,

Fred

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Fred Ruhe said:

Thanks for your nice words Peter, but here you find the description of Rhynochetos orarius Balouet & Olson, 1989. You will see there is a size difference of 15%. I think that is a lot. Balouet and Olson did not find any sign of hunting and the periode in which the size reduction must have taken place seems very short to me, but perhaps it is possible. I don't know. In the mean time I will keep Rhynochetos orarius Balouet & Olson, 1989 as a valid species in my notes.

Ref.:
Jean Christophe Balouet & Storrs Lovejoy Olson, 1989
Fossil Birds from Late Quaternary Deposits in New Caledonia
Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology • Number 469: 1-38 (28-32)
Smithsonian Institution Press, City of Washington

Have fun,

Fred

Click to expand...

Fred Ruhe said:

Thanks for your nice words Peter, but here you find the description of Rhynochetos orarius Balouet & Olson, 1989. You will see there is a size difference of 15%. I think that is a lot. Balouet and Olson did not find any sign of hunting and the periode in which the size reduction must have taken place seems very short to me, but perhaps it is possible. I don't know. In the mean time I will keep Rhynochetos orarius Balouet & Olson, 1989 as a valid species in my notes.

Click to expand...