Tuesday, March 04, 2014

Species Status for the Extinct Moa Euryapteryx

Complex Species Status for Extinct Moa (Aves: Dinornithiformes) from the Genus Euryapteryx. Huynen, L. and D.M. Lambert. PLoS ONE 9(3): e90212.

DNA barcoding shows that two species were likely to have existed in the genus Euryapteryx, with the possibility of some subspecies.
"Our results do provide a clearer picture of the species status of Euryapteryx, however, and support the suggestion that two species of Euryapteryx may have existed during the Holocene as well as a subspecies (possibly attributable to E. curtus curtus) that is found solely on New Zealand's North Island." (Dr. David Lambert)