Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand abstracts

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(c) Journal of The Royal Society of New Zealand,

Volume 30, Number 4, December 2000, pp 337-364

The fossil megapodes (Aves: Megapodiidae) of Fiji with descriptions of a new genus and two new species

T. H. Worthy*

R99028. Received 2 December 1999; accepted 18 April 2000

*Palaeofaunal Surveys, 43 The Ridgeway, Nelson, New Zealand. E-mail: twmoa@ts.co.nz.

The late Pleistocene-Holocene fossil record of megapodes (Aves: Megapodiidae) in the Fiji Islands is examined. Three new taxa are recorded from the group: a new genus and species are erected for a flightless form from Viti Levu that rivals in size the extinct Sylviornis of New Caledonia; a large, flightless species of Megapodius is described from Viti Levu; and Megapodius alimentum Steadman is recorded from Lakeba and Mago islands in the Lau Group. The tarsometatarsus of M. alimentum is redescribed.

Keywords  Fiji; megapodes; Megapodiidae; new genus; new species

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