The Viti Levu giant pigeon or Fiji giant ground pigeon (Natunaornis gigoura) is an extinct flightless pigeon of Viti Levu, the largest island in Fiji. It was only slightly smaller than the dodo (Raphus cucullatus) and Rodrigues solitaire (Pezophaps solitaria) and is the first giant flightless pigeon to be discovered on a Pacific island.
| Viti Levu giant pigeon Temporal range: Holocene
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|---|---|
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| N. gigoura and Lapitiguana | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Columbiformes |
| Family: | Columbidae |
| Genus: | †Natunaornis T. H. Worthy, 2001 |
| Species: | †N. gigoura
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| Binomial name | |
| †Natunaornis gigoura T. H. Worthy, 2001
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| Former range (in red) | |
Remains of this species were discovered in Quaternary (probably Holocene) Cave deposits in October 1998 and November 1999. Its first description was published in 2001.[1] The holotype is in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.[2] It is known from the holotype tarsometatarsus and paratypes including various parts of the wings and legs. No parts of the skull are known apart from a possible referred premaxilla (MNZ S37306).
The generic name "Natunaornis" is named after Natuna, the oldest chief of the Volivoli people in the Sigatoka Valley, wherein the fossil bones of the type species were first found.[1] The specific name reflects both the large size of this fossil species and its proposed affinities to the crowned pigeons of genus Goura.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Worthy, T. H. (December 2001). "A giant flightless pigeon gen. et sp. nov. and a new species of Ducula (Aves: Columbidae), from Quaternary deposits in Fiji". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 31 (4): 763–794. Bibcode:2001JRSNZ..31..763W. doi:10.1080/03014223.2001.9517673. S2CID 83708873.
- ^ "Natunaornis gigoura; holotype". Collections Online. Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
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