Casuariidae

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Casuariidae
Darica Cossowary 00975.jpg
Southern cassowary
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Infraclass: Palaeognathae
Order: Casuariiformes
Family: Casuariidae
Kaup, 1847[1]
Genera
Diversity
2-3 genera, 6-7 species

The bird family Casuariidae /kæsjuːəˈraɪ.ɪdiː/ has four surviving members: the three species of cassowary and the emu.

All living members of the family are very large flightless birds native to Australia-New Guinea.[2]

Species[]

  • † Emuarius Boles, 1992 (emuwaries) (Late Oligocene – Late Miocene)
    • † E. gidju (Patterson & Rich 1987) Boles, 1992
    • † E. guljaruba Boles, 2001
  • Casuarius Brisson, 1760 (cassowary)
    • † C. lydekkeri Rothschild, 1911 (Pygmy cassowary)
    • C. casuarius (Linnaeus, 1758) (Southern cassowary)
    • C. unappendiculatus Blyth, 1860 (Northern cassowary)
    • C. bennetti Gould, 1857 (Dwarf Cassowary)
      • (Sclater, 1874) (Papuan dwarf cassowary)
      • Gould, 1857 (Bennett's cassowary)
  • Dromaius Vieillot, 1816 (emu)
    • † Yates & Worthy 2019
    • † Miller 1963
    • D. novaehollandiae (Latham, 1790) (Emu)
      • †D. n. diemenensis Le Souef, 1907 (Tasmanian emu)
      • †D. n. minor Spencer, 1906 (King Island emu)
      • †D. n. baudinianus Parker, SA, 1984 (Kangaroo Island emu)
      • D. n. novaehollandiae (Latham, 1790) (Emu)

Systematics and evolution[]

See also: List of paleognaths

The fossil record of casuariforms is interesting, but not very extensive.

Some Australian fossils initially believed to be from emus were recognized to represent a distinct genus, Emuarius,[3] which had a cassowary-like skull and femur and an emu-like lower leg and foot.

Footnotes[]

  1. ^ Brand, S. (2008)
  2. ^ Clements, J (2007)
  3. ^ From "Emu" + "Casuarius". Describer W. E. Boles commonly refers to the genus as "emuwaries" or "cassomus".

References[]

  • Boles, Walter E. (2001): A new emu (Dromaiinae) from the Late Oligocene Etadunna Formation. Emu 101: 317–321. HTML abstract
  • Brands, Sheila (14 August 2008). "Systema Naturae 2000 / Classification, Family Casuariidae". Project: The Taxonomicon. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  • Clements, James (2007). The Clements Checklist of the Birds of the World (6 ed.). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-0-8014-4501-9.
  • Folch, A. (1992). Family Casuariidae (Cassowaries). pp. 90– 97 in; del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Sargatal, J. eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol 1, Ostrich to Ducks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 84-87334-09-1

External links[]

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