Small-billed moa-nalo

Small-billed moa-nalo Temporal range: Holocene
Reconstruction of species’ appearance: small-billed moa-nalo (right), Maui Nui large-billed moa-nalo (left)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Anseriformes
Family:	Anatidae
Genus:	†Ptaiochen Olson & James, 1991[1]
Species:	†P. pau
Binomial name
†Ptaiochen pau Olson & James 1991
Synonyms
"Maui Thambetochen sp. B" Olson and James, 1984

The small-billed moa-nalo (Ptaiochen pau), also known as the stumbling moa-nalo, is a species of moa-nalo, one of a group of extinct, flightless, large goose-like ducks, which evolved in the Hawaiian Islands of the North Pacific Ocean. It was described in 1991 from subfossil material collected in September 1982 by Storrs Olson, Helen James and others, from the Auwahi Cave on the southern slopes of Haleakalā, on the island of Maui.^[1]

Etymology

The generic name Ptaiochen links the Greek ptaio (“stumble”), with chen (“goose”), alluding to a fancied propensity of the species to fall into holes (thereby becoming part of the fossil record). The specific epithet is from the Hawaiian pau (“finished” or “destroyed”), referring to its extinction.^[1]

Description

The species was similar to moa-nalo in the genus Thambetochen in having bony, tooth-like projections on the jaws. However, it differed in other aspects of skull morphology, such as in having a proportionately shorter and deeper rostrum (though nothing like as deep as that of the turtle-jawed moa-nalo of Kauai), a more rounded cranium, and in lacking impressions of salt-glands.^[1]

Distribution

Subfossil remains have been found only at altitudes of over 1100 m on Haleakalā, from the Auwahi Cave at 1145 m to the upper Kipahulu Valley at 1860 m, being replaced at lower levels by the larger Maui Nui large-billed moa-nalo.^[1]

References

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Genera of waterfowl and their extinct allies

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Clade: Neognathae Superorder: Galloanserae
Avemetatarsalia see Avemetatarsalia Theropoda see Theropoda Maniraptora see Maniraptora Anserimorphae see below↓

Anserimorphae
Anserimorphae †Conflicto †Gastornis? †Dromornithidae? †Pelagornithidae? †Vegaviidae? †Presbyornithidae Bumbalavis Headonornis? Murgonornis Presbyornis Proherodius Telmabates Teviornis Wilaru †Anachronornithidae Anachronornis Danielsavis? Anseriformes sensu stricto †Agnopterus? †Eonessa †"Headonornis"? †Naranbulagornis †Palaeopapia †Peioa †Petropluvialis? †Proherodius? †Wunketru Anhimae †Chaunoides Anhimidae Anhima †Chainkanas Chauna Anseres Anseranatoidea †Anatalavis? Anseranatidae Anseranas †Anserpica †Eoanseranas Anatoidea †Paranyrocidae Paranyroca Anatidae See below ↓

Anatidae
Anatidae †Aldabranas? †Allgoviachen †Ankonetta? †Awengkere †Bambolinetta? †Caerulonettion †Cayaoa? †Chelychelynechen? †Cousteauvia †Cygnopterus? †Eonerornis? †Eutelornis? †Garganornis? †Helonetta? †Heteroanser? †Lavanttalornis †Loxornis? †Mioquerquedula? †Nogusunna? †Notochen †Proanser? †Protomelanitta? †Ptaiochen? †Selenonetta †Sharganetta? †Sinanas? †Tagayanetta †Talpanas? †Teleornis? †Thambetochen? †Wasonaka? †Romainvillinae Paracygnopterus Romainvillia Saintandrea Dendrocygninae Dendrocygna Thalassornis †Dendrocheninae Dendrochen Manuherikia Mionetta Stictonettinae Stictonetta Anserinae †Afrocygnus †Annakacygna Anser †Anserobranta †Asiavis †Bonibernicla Branta Cereopsis †"Chenopis" †Cnemiornis Coscoroba †Cygnavus Cygnus †Cygnopterus †Eremochen †Megalodytes †Paracygnus †Presbychen Tadorninae Alopochen †Australotadorna †Brantadorna Cairina †Centrornis Chloephaga Cyanochen Hymenolaimus †Kaikenia Merganetta †Miotadorna †Nannonetta Neochen Plectropterus †Pleistoanser Radjah Sarkidiornis Tachyeres Tadorna †Tamtamia Anatinae Aix Amazonetta †Anabernicula Asarcornis Biziura Callonetta †Chenoanas? Chenonetta †Dunstanetta †Eoneornis? †Lavadytis Lophonetta Malacorhynchus Marmaronetta Netta Nettapus †Pinpanetta Pteronetta †?Rhodonessa Salvadorina Speculanas Oxyurini Heteronetta Nomonyx Oxyura †Tirarinetta Mergini Bucephala †Camptorhynchus †Chendytes Clangula Histrionicus Lophodytes Melanitta Mergellus Mergus Polysticta †Shiriyanetta Somateria Anatini Anas Mareca †Matanas Sibirionetta Spatula Aythyini Aythya

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