Megalapteryx didinus (Owen, 1883:257)
Upland moa, Lesser megalapteryx, "Bush" moa, Moa Pukepuke (Māori)
Taxonomy & Nomenclature
Synonyms: Dinornis didinus Owen, 1882:549 [nomen nudum]; Dinornis didinus Owen, 1883:257; Anomalopteryx didina (Owen, 1883:257); Megalapteryx didinus (Owen, 1883:257); Megalapteryx hectori Haast, 1884:577 [nomen nudum]; Megalapteryx hectori Haast, 1886a:541 [nomen nudum]; Megalapteryx hectori Haast, 1886b:162; Megalapteryx tenuipes Lydekker, 1891:251; Megalapteryx hamiltoni Rothschild, 1907:197; Palaeocasuarius haasti Rothschild, 1907:220; Palaeocasuarius velox Rothschild, 1907:220; Palaeocasuarius elegans Rothschild, 1907:220; Megalapteryx benhami Archey, 1941:35
A complete synonymy taken from (Checklist Committee (OSNZ), 2022:14):
Dinornis didinus Owen, 1882 (Oct.): Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1882 (36): 549 [nomen nudum]; Dinornis didinus Owen, 1883: Trans. Zool. Soc. London 11(8): 257 – Queenstown; Anomalopteryx didina (Owen); Lydekker 1891, Cat. Fossil Birds Brit. Museum: 277; Megalapteryx didinus (Owen); Oliver 1930, New Zealand Birds, 1st edition: 42; Megalapteryx hectori Haast, 1884: Trans. N.Z. Inst. 16: 577 [nomen nudum]; Megalapteryx hectori Haast, 1886a: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1885 (35): 541 [nomen nudum]; Megalapteryx hectori Haast, 1886b: Trans. Zool. Soc. London 12(5): 162 – Takaka, Nelson; Megalapteryx tenuipes Lydekker, 1891: Cat. Fossil Birds Brit. Museum: 251 – Lake Wakatipu; Megalapteryx tenuipes Lydekker; Andrews 1897, Novit. Zool. 4: 188; Megalapteryx hamiltoni Rothschild, 1907: Extinct Birds: 197 – “Waingongoro, North Island”, error (fide Oliver 1949, Dom. Mus. Bull. 15: 151); Palaeocasuarius haasti Rothschild, 1907: Extinct Birds: 220 – Maniototo, Otago; Palaeocasuarius velox Rothschild, 1907: Extinct Birds: 220 – Maniototo, Otago; Palaeocasuarius elegans Rothschild, 1907: Extinct Birds: 220 – Maniototo, Otago; Megalapteryx benhami Archey, 1941: Bull. Auck. Inst. Museum 1: 35 – Mt Arthur [Salisbury] Tableland, Nelson
Conservation Status
Extinct
Last record: 694±30 yrs BP (663-559 cal. BP) (Wood et al., 2012)
Distribution
South Island, New Zealand
Biology & Ecology
Hypodigm
Media
Above: Upland Moa, Megalapteryx didinus, collected March 1987, Honeycomb Hill, Enduro, Map Grid 1385N 720E, New Zealand. Field Collection 1982-1988. CC BY 4.0. Te Papa (S.023700)
Above: Upland Moa, Megalapteryx didinus, collected March 1987, Honeycomb Hill, Enduro, Map Grid 1385N 720E, New Zealand. Field Collection 1982-1988. CC BY 4.0. Te Papa (S.023700)
Above: Upland Moa. Megalapteryx didinus. From the series: Extinct Birds of New Zealand., 2005, Masterton, by Paul Martinson. Purchased 2006. © Te Papa. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Te Papa (2006-0010-1/16)
References
Original scientific description:
Owen, Richard. (1883). On Dinornis (Part XXIV): containing a description of the head and feet, with their dried integuments, of an individual of the species Dinornis didinus, Owen. Transactions of the Zoological Society of London 11: 257-261.
Other references:
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