The Kanaka pigeon (Caloenas canacorum),[1] also known as the great green pigeon or greater maned pigeon, is an extinct species of pigeon. It was probably hunted to extinction by the early settlers of New Caledonia and Tonga around 2,500 years ago. It was described from subfossil remains found at the Pindai Caves of New Caledonia. The specific epithet is a Latinisation of kanaka, the name of the native Melanesian people of New Caledonia. It was about 25% larger than its closest living relative, the Nicobar pigeon.[2][3]

Kanaka pigeon
Temporal range: Holocene
Extinct (~2500 BP)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
Genus: Caloenas
Species:
C. canacorum
Binomial name
Caloenas canacorum
Balouet & Olson, 1989

References

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  1. ^ "ZipCodeZoo.com". ZipCodeZoo.com. Retrieved 2011-05-03.
  2. ^ "beautyofbirds.com". beautyofbirds.com. 2009-05-22. Retrieved 2011-05-03.
  3. ^ Balouet, J.C.; Olson, Storrs L. (1989). "Fossil birds from Late Quaternary deposits in New Caledonia" (PDF). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology. 469 (469): 14–16. doi:10.5479/si.00810282.469.