Adzebill

Skeletal reconstruction of Aptornis otidiformis

  • Aptornis otidiformes ( Owen, 1844)
  • Aptornis defossor Owen, 1871
  • Aptornis proasciarostratus Worthy, Tennyson & Scofield, 2011

Aptornis (English common name: Adzebill ) is the only genus of the family Aptornithidae, extinct flightless birds that were native to New Zealand. They belonged to the order Gruiformes, but had no other close relatives in the recent avifauna. Maybe they belonged to a prehistoric branch of Rails. Morphological similarities with the Kagus seem to have more to do with the convergent evolution of species, than with a relationship.

By 2011, the genus Aptornis by the two types Aptornis defossor and Aptornis otidiformis was represented. 2009 Formation in Central Otago on the South Island was discovered a fossil bone material form from the early Miocene of Saint Bathans Fauna, which in 2011 was described as provisional Aptornis proasciarostratus. It is smaller than Aptornis otidiformis.

When Richard Owen described the first bone in 1844, he assumed that it was a newly discovered Moaart and gave her the name Dinornis otidiformis. Only when a skull and a foot were found, it was realized that it was a previously unknown species of bird.

The Aptornis reached a size of up to 80 centimeters. Aptornis otidiformis was widespread in the North Island, and reached a weight of 16 kg. Aptornis defossor was described in 1871 by Richard Owen. The species lived on the South Island and weighed up to 19 kg. The skull was very long and curved beak down. The toes were short and strong. The Aptornis probably lived predatory, feeding on large invertebrates, skinks, geckos, tuatara, nesting seabirds and ducks.

Probably the Aptornis end of the 13th century died out by overhunting and habitat change. From Aptornis otidiformis the fossil remains of about 78 copies and Aptornis defossor are the remains of about 100 copies remain.

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