Powerful Goshawk

Accipiter efficax is an extinct bird of prey of the genus Accipiter (Accipiter ), which was native to New Caledonia. It is only known from subfossil remains from the Holocene. The specific epithet efficax means " strong " or "powerful".

The holotype, who in 1986 was promoted to the Nepoui peninsula on the west coast of New Caledonia days Pindai Cave (164 ° 57'O 21 ° 20 'S, ), consists of a tarsometatarsus, in which the complete hull near ( proximal ) end and the inner (medial ) joint role ( trochlea metatarsi II ) on the hull distant (distal) end up missing. Additional material includes a complete right and the scapulare ( the shoulder blade towards lying ) End of a right coracoid, two incomplete left scapula, the proximal end of the left humerus, three right and left ulna, two right and left Carpometacarpus, the proximal end of left tibiotarsus, distal end of right tarsometatarsus and four phalanges.

Accipiter efficax was großwüchsig and characterized by a relatively short, very robust tarsometatarsus. From goshawk (A. gentilis ) differs A. efficax in the general body proportions, especially the fact that the elements of the forelimbs and shoulder girdle smaller, the Tarsometatarsi and mouth but are just as great as in the first-mentioned Article addition, the foramen of the distal tarsometatarsus at A. efficax smaller than in A. gentilis and the wing- like appendage of the medial joint roller reaches the hawk further back. Compared with the Meyer Goshawk ( A. meyerianus ) is the ulna robust, with a bulkier olecranon. The tarsometatarsus is also more robust, especially in the side view, the distal end is broad, the distal small foramen and the posterior surface of the shaft is stronger and deepened groove shape.

Bone efficax Accipiter were relatively often found in Pindai Cave, while remains of an extinct and other smaller species Accipiter were discovered quartus rare. From the bands Goshawk ( Accipiter fasciatus ) and the White-bellied Goshawk ( Accipiter haplochrous ) there is no fossil record in New Caledonia. When and why Accipiter extinct efficax, is not known.