Heavy-footed Moa

Heavy-footed moa
P. elephantopus skeleton photographed by Roger Fenton
Conservation status
Extinct
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Superorder:	Paleognathae
Order:	Struthioniformes
Family:	Dinornithidae
Genus:	Pachyornis
Species:	Pachyornis elephantopus (Owen, 1856)
Binomial name
Pachyornis elephantopus (Owen, 1856)
Synonyms
Dinornis elephantopus (Owen, 1856) Dinornis queenslandiae (De Vis, 1884) Euryapteryx ponderosus (Hutton, 1891) Pachyornis immanus (Lydekker, 1891) Pachyornis inhabilis (Hutton, 1893) Pachyornis major (Hutton, 1875) Pachyornis rothschildi (Lydekker, 1892) Pachyornis valgus (Hutton, 1893)

The Heavy-footed Moa, Pachyornis elephantopus, is a species of Moa from the Family Dinornithidae. This moa was widespread on the South Island only, and its habitat was the lowlands (shrublands, dunelands, grasslands, and forests). It was a ratite and a member of the Struthioniformes Order. The Struthioniformes are flightless birds with a sternum without a keel. They also have a distinctive palate. The origin of these birds is becoming clearer as it is now believed that early ancestors of these birds were able to fly and flew to the southern areas that they have been found.

The Heavy-Footed Moa was about 1.8 m (5.9 ft) tall, and weighed as much as 145 kg (320 lb).

Discovery

Pachyornis elephantopus skeleton at Göteborgs Naturhistoriska Museum, Sweden

The Heavy-Footed Moa was discovered by W.B.D. Mantell at Awamoa, near Oamaru, and the bones were taken by him to England. Bones from multiple birds were used to make a full skeleton, which was then put in the British Museum. The name Dinornis elephantopus was given by Richard Owen.

References

• Brands, Sheila (Aug 14 2008). "Systema Naturae 2000 / Classification, Genus Pachyornis". Project: The Taxonomicon. Retrieved Feb 04 2009. 
• Davies, S. J. J. F. (2003). "Moas". In Hutchins, Michael. Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. 8 Birds I Tinamous and Ratites to Hoatzins (2 ed.). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group. pp. 95–98. ISBN 0-7876-5784-0. 
• Olliver, Narena (2005). "Heavy–footed Moa". Birds (of New Zealand). New Zealand Birds. Retrieved Feb 15 2011. 

External links

• Heavy-footed Moa. Pachyornis elephantopus. by Paul Martinson. Artwork produced for the book Extinct Birds of New Zealand, by Alan Tennyson, Te Papa Press, Wellington, 2006