Adzebills
Conservation status
Prehistoric
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Gruiformes (but see article) Family: Aptornithidae Mantell 1848 Genus: Aptornis Owen, 1844
Species
Aptornis otidiformis Owen, 1844 Aptornis defossor Owen, 1871
Synonyms
Genus-level: Apterornis ''A. otidiformis: Aptornis otidiformes

The adzebills (genus Aptornis) were two closely related bird species, the North Island Adzebill (Aptornis otidiformis) and the South Island Adzebill (Aptornis defossor) of the extinct family Aptornithidae. The family was endemic to New Zealand.

They have been placed in the Gruiformes but this is not entirely certain. It was also proposed to ally them with the Galloanserae (Weber & Hesse 1995). Studies of morphology and DNA sequences place them variously close to and far off from the Kagu of New Caledonia, as well as the trumpeters. Its morphological closeness to the Kagu may be the result of convergent evolution, although New Zealand's proximity to New Caledonia and shared biological affinities (the two islands are part of the same microcontinent) has led some researchers to suggest they share a common ancestor from Gondwana. If so, it is interesting to note that the Gondwanan Sunbittern is most likely the closest living relative of the Kagu, and these two may also be reasonably close to the mesites, yet other "odd gruiforms" from the Southern Hemisphere, but do not seem to be close to the Gruiformes proper (i.e. cranes, rails and allies. See e.g. Fain & Houde 2004^[1]). On the other hand, should the adzebills be closer to the trumpeters, placement in the Gruiformes is likely to be correct even if the Kagu and Sunbittern are split off.

In life the adzebills were massive gruiforms, the size of small moa (with which they were initially confused with on their discovery) with enormous downward-curving and pointed bill, and strong legs. They were flightless and had extremely reduced wings, smaller than those of the dodo compared to the birds' overall size, and with an uniquely reduced carpometacarpus (Livezey, 1994).

The two species varied mostly in size with the North Island Adzebill being the smaller species; their colouration in life is not known however. Their fossils have been found the drier areas of New Zealand, and only in the lowlands. Richard Owen, who described the two species, speculated that it was an omnivore, and analysis of its bones by stable isotope analysis supports this. They are thought to have fed on large invertebrates, lizards, tuataras and even small birds.

The adzebills were never as widespread as the moa, but subjected to the same hunting pressure as these and other large birds by the settling Polynesians. They became extinct before the arrival of European explorers.

References

• Fain, Matthew G. & Houde, Peter (2004): Parallel radiations in the primary clades of birds. Evolution 58(11): 2558-2573. doi:10.1554/04-235 PDF fulltext
• Livezey, Bradley C. (1994): The carpometacarpus of Apterornis. Notornis 41(1): 51–60. PDF fulltext
• Weber, Erich & Hesse, Angelika (1995): The systematic position of Aptornis, a flightless bird from New Zealand. Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg 181: 292-301.
• Worthy, Trevor H. (1989): The glossohyal and thyroid bone of Aptornis otidiformes. Notornis 36(3): 248 PDF fulltext
• Worthy, Trevor H., & Holdaway, Richard N. (2002) The Lost World of the Moa, Indiana University Press:Bloomington, ISBN 0-253-34034-9

Footnotes

External links

• Reconstruction of A. otidiformis by Alexander Lang