Emuarius

Emuarius
Temporal range: Late Oligocene–Early Miocene
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Infraclass: Palaeognathae
Order: Casuariiformes
Family: Casuariidae
Genus: †Emuarius
Boles, 1992
Species
  • Emuarius guljaruba (Boles, 2001)
  • Emuarius gidju (Patterson & Rich, 1987)

Emuarius is an extinct genus of casuariiform flightless bird from Australia that lived during the early Miocene and late Oligocene. It is one of two known genera of emu. There are two known species in the genus, Emuarius gidju and Emuarius guljaruba. The birds in this genus are known as emuwaries. This name comes from a combination of emu and cassowary. This is due to its cassowary-like skull and femur and emu-like lower leg and foot. Because of these similarities it is phylogenetically placed between cassowaries and emus. E. gidju has an estimated mass of 19-21 kg, less than the modern emu, and E. guljaruba is stated to be larger than E. gidju.

References

  1. ↑ Boles, Walter E. (2001). "A new emu (Dromaiinae) from the Late Oligocene Etadunna Formation". Emu - Austral Ornithology. 101 (4): 317–321. Bibcode:2001EmuAO.101..317B. doi:10.1071/MU00052. S2CID 1808852.
  2. ↑ Patterson, C. and Rich, P. V. (1987). "The fossil history of the emus, Dromaius (Aves: Dromaiinae)". Records of the South Australian Museum. 21 (2): 85–11.
  3. ↑ Worthy, Trevor H.; Hand, Suzanne J.; Archer, Michael (Mar 2014). "Phylogenetic relationships of the Australian Oligo-Miocene ratite Emuarius gidju Casuariidae". Integrative Zoology. 9 (2): 148–166. doi:10.1111/1749-4877.12050. ISSN 1749-4877. PMID 24673760.
  4. ↑ Boles, Walter E. (1992). "Revision of Dromaius gidju Patterson and Rich, 1987 from Riversleigh, northwestern Queensland, Australia, with a reassessment of its generic position" (PDF). Papers in Avian Paleontology. 36. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Science Series: 195–208.
  5. ↑ Boles, Walter (1992-01-01). "Revision of Dromaius gidju Patterson and Rich, 1987 from Riversleigh, northwestern Queensland, Australia, with a reassessment of its generic position". Los Angeles County Museum, Science Series. 36: 195–208.
  6. ↑ Widrig, Klara; Field, Daniel J. (2022-02-01). "The Evolution and Fossil Record of Palaeognathous Birds (Neornithes: Palaeognathae)". Diversity. 14 (2): 105. Bibcode:2022Diver..14..105W. doi:10.3390/d14020105. ISSN 1424-2818.
  • Vickers-Rich, Patricia and Rich, Thomas Hewitt (1999). Wildlife of Gondwana: Dinosaurs and Other Vertebrates from the Ancient Supercontinent. Life of the Past. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0253336439.
  • Murray, Peter F. and Vickers-Rich, Patricia (2004). Magnificent Mihirungs: The Colossal Flightless Birds of the Australian Dreamtime. Life of the Past. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0253342829.