FACTOID # 91: In the Maldives, there are more than 2 jails for every 1000 people.
 
 Home   Encyclopedia   Statistics   Countries A-Z   Flags   Maps   Education   Forum   FAQ   About 
 
WHAT'S NEW
RECENT ARTICLES
More Recent Articles »
 

SEARCH ALL

FACTS & STATISTICS    Advanced view

Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:

 

 

(* = Graphable)

 

 


Encyclopedia > Paleognathae
Wikipedia:How to read a taxobox
How to read a taxobox
Paleognaths
Fossil range: Cretaceous - Recent
A kiwi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Subclass: Carinatae
Infraclass: Neornithes
Superorder: Paleognathae
Pycraft, 1900
Orders

Lithornithiformes
Ambiornithiformes
Gansuiformes
Paleocursornithiformes
Dinornithiformes
Aepyornithiformes
Struthoniformes
Rheiformes
Casuariiformes
Apterygiformes
Tinamiformes
The Cretaceous Period is one of the major divisions of the geologic timescale, reaching from the end of the Jurassic Period (i. ... Image File history File links Kiwifugl. ... Species See text. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... Digimon, the only known animals. ... Template:Tax more Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... “Aves” redirects here. ... In phylogenetic taxonomy, the Carinatae are considered the last common ancestor of Neornithes (living birds) and Ichthyornis (an extinct seabird of the Cretaceous). ... Orders Many - see section below. ... William Plane Pycraft (1868 - 1942) was an English zoologist. ... Species Aepyornis hildebrandti Aepyornis medius Aepyornis maximus Aepyornis is an extinct genus of flightless bird. ... Species R. americana R. pennata The Rhea, also known as ñandú (pronounced ) in Spanish, or ema in Portuguese, is a large flightless ratite bird native to South America. ... Genera Casuarius Dromaius For fossil forms, see article The bird family Casuariidae has four surviving members: the three species of cassowary, and the only remaining species of Emu. ... Genera The Tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of bird, members of a South American bird family of about 47 species in 9 genera. ...

The Paleognathae or paleognaths ("old jaws") are one of the two living superorders of birds. The other living superorder is Neognathae. Scientific classification or biological classification refers to how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... “Aves” redirects here. ... Orders Anseriformes, waterfowl Galliformes, fowl Gaviiformes, loons Podicipediformes, grebes Procellariiformes, albatrosses, petrels, and allies Sphenisciformes, penguins Pelecaniformes, pelicans and allies Ciconiiformes, storks and allies Phoenicopteriformes, flamingos Accipitriformes, eagles, hawks and allies Falconiformes, falcons Turniciformes, button-quail Gruiformes, cranes and allies Charadriiformes, plovers and allies Pteroclidiformes, sandgrouse Columbiformes, doves and pigeons...


The paleognaths contain several living orders of birds, the Tinamiformes (tinamous), the Apterygiformes (kiwis), Casuariiformes (cassowaries and emus), Rheiformes (rheas), and the Struthoniformes (ostriches). There are also many extinct orders: the Lithornithiformes, the Ambiornithiformes, the Gansuiformes, the Paleocursornithiformes, the Dinornithiformes (moas), and the Aepyornithiformes (elephant birds) Scientific classification or biological classification refers to how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Genera The Tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of bird, members of a South American bird family of about 47 species in 9 genera. ... Species See text. ... Species Casuarius casuarius Casuarius unappendiculatus Casuarius bennetti Cassowaries (genus Casuarius) are very large flightless birds native to the tropical forests of New Guinea and Australia. ... Species Dromaius novaehollandiae Dromaius baudinianus (extinct) Dromaius ater (extinct) Note that the acronym EMU has several meanings. ... In Greek mythology, Rhea was the sister and wife of Cronus and the mother of many of the other major gods of the pantheon. ... Binomial name Struthio camelus Carolus Linnaeus, 1758 The present-day distribution of Ostriches. ... Genera Anomalopteryx (bush moa) Euryapteryx Megalapteryx (upland moa) Dinornis (giant moa) Emeus Pachyornis Moa were giant flightless birds native to New Zealand. ... Genera Aepyornis Mullerornis Elephant birds are an extinct family of flightless birds made up of the genera Aepyornis and Mullerornis. ...


Most paleognaths have long necks and long legs, and are specialized for running rather than flight; indeed, the ratites are all completely flightless. The group is not seperated because of this though, it is rather based on the form of the jaw. Paleognaths are more commonly known as ratites from the Latin word for raft, ratis, because their breatbone is shaped like a raft. Families Struthionidae Casuariidae Dinornithidae Apterygidae Rheidae A ratite is any of a diverse group of large, flightless birds of Gondwanian origin, most of them now extinct. ...

Contents

Anatomy

Features

Eggs

Nests

Beaks

Legs

Feathers

Other External Features

Internal Structure

Bones

Muscles

Other Internal Structures

Evolution

Paleognaths probably descended from a common ancestor in the late Cretaceous period on the supercontinent of Gondwana. As the continents seperated several forms of paleognaths reached different parts of the world, to support this idea all the continents where living (ostrich, casuwary, kiwi, tinamous, emu, and the rhea) and various fossil forms are found were connected during the late Cretaceous. Recent genetic evidenece seems to also point towards this theory, DNA shows that they may not be disended from one common ancestor, but two or more. The results also show that paleognaths probably didn't lose the ability to fly until the middle Eocene. Many similarites in morphology and gentic analysis show that there is probably no convergent evolution between ratite birds. Currently, there is no exact way to way where, why, or when the paleognaths diverged. The Cretaceous Period is one of the major divisions of the geologic timescale, reaching from the end of the Jurassic Period (i. ... Gondwanaland redirects here. ... The structure of part of a DNA double helix Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions for the development and function of living organisms. ... The Eocene epoch (55. ... In evolutionary biology, convergent evolution is the process whereby organisms not closely related, independently evolve similar traits as a result of having to adapt to similar environments or ecological niches. ...


Taxonamy

As told in the Evolution section of this article, the exact history of the paleognaths is unknown presently. Despite this many taxonimists try to place them in the grand sceme of the Aves. As a result two main branches developed, they are shown in the classification part below. For other meanings of bird, see bird (disambiguation). ...


Early Taxonamy

Before genetics or fossil forms the ratites were placed in a single group the Paleognathae in a single order the Paleognathia. Later it was realized that they were too different to be placed in a single order, so they were split into the several orders in the infobox at the top of this article. Then they were split into two orders, the Struthioniformes and the Lithioniformes. Although the first classification is adopted in this article, either is presentable.


Cladistics

|--Paleognathae

 |------+ (Oceanic paleognaths) | |------+ (Australian and Indonesian paleognaths) | | |------+ (Casuariformes) | | |---+ ("Emuwaries") | | |---+--- (Emus) | | |--- (Cassowaries) | | | |------+ (New Zealand paleognaths) | |------+ (Dinornithiformes) | | |--- (Dinornithidae) | | |--- (Emeidae) | | | |------+ (Apterygiformes) | |---+ (Apterygidae) | |--- (Kiwis) | |------+ (South American paleognaths) | |------+ (Tinamiformes) | | |---+ (Tinamidae) | | |--- (Tinamous) | | | |------+ (Rheiformes) | |--- (Opisthodactylidae) | |--- (Rheidae) | |------+ (Laurasian and African paleognaths) |---?---+ (Remiornithiformes) | |--- (Remiornithidae) | |---?---+ (Lithornithiformes) | |--- (Lithornithidae) | |---?---+ (Aepyornithiformes) | |--- (Aepyornithidae) | |---?---+ (Struthioniformes) | |---+ (Struthionidae) | |--- (African Ostrich | |---?---+ (Ambiornithiformes) | |--- (Ambiortidae) | |---?---+ (Gansuiformes) | |--- (Gansuidae) | |---?---+ (Paleocursornithiformes) |--- (Paleocursornithidae)

Look up Oceanic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Genera Casuarius Dromaius For fossil forms, see article The bird family Casuariidae has four surviving members: the three species of cassowary, and the only remaining species of Emu. ... Species Dromaius novaehollandiae Dromaius baudinianus (extinct) Dromaius ater (extinct) Note that the acronym EMU has several meanings. ... Species Casuarius casuarius Casuarius unappendiculatus Casuarius bennetti Cassowaries (genus Casuarius) are very large flightless birds native to the tropical forests of New Guinea and Australia. ... Genera Anomalopteryx Dinornis Emeus Euryapteryx Megalapteryx Pachyornis The moa were giant flightless birds of New Zealand. ... Alternative meanings at Kiwi (disambiguation) Apterygidae Apteryx Species A kiwi is any of the species of small flightless birds native to New Zealand of the genus Apteryx (the only genus in family Apterygidae). ... Alternative meanings at Kiwi (disambiguation) Apterygidae Apteryx Species A kiwi is any of the species of small flightless birds native to New Zealand of the genus Apteryx (the only genus in family Apterygidae). ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Genera The Tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of bird, members of a South American bird family of about 47 species in 9 genera. ... Genera The Tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of bird, members of a South American bird family of about 47 species in 9 genera. ... Genera The Tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of bird, members of a South American bird family of about 47 species in 9 genera. ... Species R. americana R. pennata The Rhea, also known as ñandú (pronounced ) in Spanish, or ema in Portuguese, is a large flightless ratite bird native to South America. ... Species  Rhea americana  Rhea pennata The distribution of Rhea americana Rheas are large flightless birds native to South America. ... World map showing location of Africa A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second_largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. ... Species Aepyornis hildebrandti Aepyornis medius Aepyornis maximus Aepyornis is an extinct genus of flightless bird. ... Genera Aepyornis Mullerornis Elephant birds are an extinct family of flightless birds made up of the genera Aepyornis and Mullerornis. ... Families Struthionidae Casuariidae Dinornithidae Apterygidae Rheidae A ratite is any of a diverse group of large, flightless birds of Gondwanian origin, most of them now extinct. ... Binomial name Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1758 The Ostrich (Struthio camelus, Greek sparrow camel) is the largest living bird, reaching a height of up to 2. ... Binomial name Struthio camelus Carolus Linnaeus, 1758 The present-day distribution of Ostriches. ...

Classification

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Binomial name Gansus yumenensis Hou & Liu, 1984 Gansus is a genus of aquatic birds that lived during the Albian stage of the Early Cretaceous period (around 110 million years ago) in what is now Gansu province, western China. ... Genera Anomalopteryx Dinornis Emeus Euryapteryx Megalapteryx Pachyornis The moa were giant flightless birds of New Zealand. ... Species North Island Giant Moa, (type) Slender Moa, Dinornis new lineage A (undescribed taxon) Dinornis new lineage B (undescribed taxon) Synonyms Palapteryx Owen, 1851 The giant moa (Dinornis) is an extinct genus of ratite birds belonging to the moa family. ... Binomial name Emeus crassus (Owen, 1846) Synonyms Dinornis crassus Owen, 1846 Dinornis casuarinus Owen, 1846 Dinornis huttonii Owen, 1846 (male) Emeus casuarinus Oliver, 1930 Emeus huttonii Oliver, 1930 (male) The Eastern Moa, Emeus crassus, is an extinct species of ratite bird belonging to the moa family. ... Anomalopteryx didiformis is known informally as the bush moa. ... Megalapteryx didinus is dubbed the upland moa, native to New Zealand. ... Species Heavy-footed Moa, Pachyornis elephantopus (type) Crested Moa, Pachyornis australis Mappins Moa, Pachyornis mappini Pachyornis new lineage A (undescribed taxon) Pachyornis new lineage B (undescribed taxon) Synonyms Cela Oliver, 1949 The genus Pachyornis is an extinct group of ratites from New Zealand which belonged to the moa family. ... Species Aepyornis hildebrandti Aepyornis medius Aepyornis maximus Aepyornis is an extinct genus of flightless bird. ... Genera Aepyornis Mullerornis Elephant birds are an extinct family of flightless birds made up of the genera Aepyornis and Mullerornis. ... Species Aepyornis hildebrandti Aepyornis medius Aepyornis maximus Aepyornis is an extinct genus of flightless bird. ... Families Struthionidae Casuariidae Dinornithidae Apterygidae Rheidae A ratite is any of a diverse group of large, flightless birds of Gondwanian origin, most of them now extinct. ... Binomial name Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1758 The Ostrich (Struthio camelus, Greek sparrow camel) is the largest living bird, reaching a height of up to 2. ... Binomial name Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1758 The Ostrich (Struthio camelus, Greek sparrow camel) is the largest living bird, reaching a height of up to 2. ... Species R. americana R. pennata The Rhea, also known as ñandú (pronounced ) in Spanish, or ema in Portuguese, is a large flightless ratite bird native to South America. ... Species  Rhea americana  Rhea pennata The distribution of Rhea americana Rheas are large flightless birds native to South America. ... Species R. americana R. pennata The Rhea, also known as ñandú (pronounced ) in Spanish, or ema in Portuguese, is a large flightless ratite bird native to South America. ... In Greek mythology, Rhea was the sister and wife of Cronus and the mother of many of the other major gods of the pantheon. ... Genera Casuarius Dromaius For fossil forms, see article The bird family Casuariidae has four surviving members: the three species of cassowary, and the only remaining species of Emu. ... Genera Casuarius Dromaius For fossil forms, see article The bird family Casuariidae has four surviving members: the three species of cassowary, and the only remaining species of Emu. ... Species Casuarius casuarius Casuarius unappendiculatus Casuarius bennetti Cassowaries (genus Casuarius) are very large flightless birds native to the tropical forests of New Guinea and Australia. ... Species Casuarius casuarius Casuarius unappendiculatus Casuarius bennetti Cassowaries (genus Casuarius) are very large flightless birds native to the tropical forests of New Guinea and Australia. ... Genera  Casuarius  Dromaius The bird family Casuariidae has four surving members: the three species of cassowary, and the only remaining species of emu. ... Species Dromaius novaehollandiae Dromaius baudinianus (extinct) Dromaius ater (extinct) Note that the acronym EMU has several meanings. ... Species Dromaius novaehollandiae Dromaius baudinianus (extinct) Dromaius ater (extinct) Note that the acronym EMU has several meanings. ... Alternative meanings at Kiwi (disambiguation) Apterygidae Apteryx Species A kiwi is any of the species of small flightless birds native to New Zealand of the genus Apteryx (the only genus in family Apterygidae). ... Alternative meanings at Kiwi (disambiguation) Apterygidae Apteryx Species A kiwi is any of the species of small flightless birds native to New Zealand of the genus Apteryx (the only genus in family Apterygidae). ... Alternative meanings at Kiwi (disambiguation) Apterygidae Apteryx Species A kiwi is any of the species of small flightless birds native to New Zealand of the genus Apteryx (the only genus in family Apterygidae). ... Genera The Tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of bird, members of a South American bird family of about 47 species in 9 genera. ... Genera The Tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of bird, members of a South American bird family of about 47 species in 9 genera. ... Genera The Tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of bird, members of a South American bird family of about 47 species in 9 genera. ...

  • Superorder Paleognathae
    • Order Struthioniformes
    • Order Lithioniformes
    • Order Tinamiformes

Locomotion

Running, Walking, and Trotting

Fastest Birds?

Many of the larger ratite birds have extremely long legs and the largest living bird, the ostrich, can run at speeds over 60 km/h. And cassowaries, emus, and rheas show a similar likeness in agility and some extinct forms may have reached speeds of 75 km/h. Moas, the largest birds, had legs over 3 feet high and may have been the fastest land animals to live outrunning even the cheetah. Binomial name Struthio camelus Carolus Linnaeus, 1758 The present-day distribution of Ostriches. ... Binomial name Acinonyx jubatus (Schreber, 1775) Type species Acinonyx venator Brookes, 1828 (= Felis jubata, Schreber, 1775) by monotypy The range of the cheetah The cheetah (derived from Sanskrit word Chitraka meaning Speckled) (Acinonyx jubatus) is an atypical member of the cat family (Felidae), a poor climber that hunts by speed...


Behaviour

Preening and Hygiene

Flightlessness

Instinct and Intelligence

Sleep

Warning and other Emotional Behaviour

Social Behaviour

Colonial Behaviour

Pair Bonds

Territorial Behaviour

Courtship

Copulation

Feeding and Diet

Eating

Drinking

Specific Diets

Herbivores

Carnivores

Insectivores

Omnivores

Distribution

Habitats

Other Habitats

Why Islands?

Breeding

Nest Building

Eggs

Young

Population

Longevity

Endangered and Threatened Species

Domestication

Extinctions

Overhunting?

Other Causes

Paleognaths in Popular Culture

Internal Links

Ratites Families Struthionidae Casuariidae Dinornithidae Apterygidae Rheidae A ratite is any of a diverse group of large, flightless birds of Gondwanian origin, most of them now extinct. ...


External Links

Page On the classification of Paleognaths of Animal Diversity Web


Cladogram of Paleognaths


Introduction to the Paleognathae


References

 

COMMENTARY     


Share your thoughts, questions and commentary here
Your name
Your comments
Please enter the 5-letter protection code

Want to know more?
Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:
 


Lesson Plans | Student Area | Student FAQ | Reviews | Press Releases |  Feeds | Contact
The Wikipedia article included on this page is licensed under the GFDL.
Images may be subject to relevant owners' copyright.
All other elements are (c) copyright NationMaster.com 2003-5. All Rights Reserved.
Usage implies agreement with terms.