When the first specimens were originally described by Richard Owen in 1846, they were placed within the genusDinornis as three different species. These remains would later be split off into their own genus, Emeus.[7] The other two species, E. casuarinus and E. huttonii are currently regarded as junior synonyms of E. crassus, and the genus currently contains this single species. It has been long suspected that the "species" described as Emeus huttonii and E. crassus were males and females, respectively, of a single species. This has been confirmed by analysis for sex-specific genetic markers of DNA extracted from bone material; the females of E. crassus were 15-25% larger than males.[8] This phenomenon — sexual dimorphism — is not uncommon amongst ratites, being also very pronounced in kiwi and the related moa genus Dinornis.[citation needed]
Emeus was of average size, standing 1.5to 1.8 metres (4.9–5.9ft) tall, and weighing from 36 to 79kg.[9] Like other moa, it had no vestigial wing bones, hair-like feathers (beige in this case), a long neck and large, powerful legs with very short, strong tarsi.[10] Its tarsometatarsus was restricted in motion to the parasagittal plane, a condition much like that in most other ratites.[11] It also had a sternum without a keel and a distinctive palate.[10]Emeus had pelvic musculature poorly adapted for cursoriality.[12] Its feet were exceptionally wide compared to other moas, making it a very slow creature. Soft parts of its body, such as tracheal rings (cartilage) or remnants of skin have been found in the form of mummified specimens, as well as single bones and complete skeletons. As they neared the head, the feathers grew shorter, until they finally turned into coarse hair-like feathers; the head itself was probably bald.[13]
Range and habitat
Neck and leg bones with soft tissue
Eastern moa lived only on the South Island of New Zealand, inhabiting lowland habitats like forests, grasslands, dunelands, and shrublands.[10] During the Last Glacial Maximum, it was confined to a single glacial refugium, from which its range expanded during the Holocene.[14] Human colonists (specifically the Māori, who called the animals "moa mōmona")[1] hunted Emeus into extinction with relative ease. E. crassus was the second most common species found at the Wairau Bar site in Marlborough, where the remains of more than 4000 eaten moa were found. The species had gone extinct around the year 1400.[6]
1 2 3 Davies, S. J. J. F. (2003). "Moas". In Hutchins, Michael (ed.). Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. Vol.8 Birds I Tinamous and Ratites to Hoatzins (2ed.). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group. pp.95–98. ISBN0-7876-5784-0.
Eastern Moa. Emeus crassus. by Paul Martinson. Artwork produced for the book Extinct Birds of New Zealand, by Alan Tennyson, Te Papa Press, Wellington, 2006
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