Tag Archives: Hypotaenidia ernstmayri (Kirchman & Steadman)

Gallirallus ernstmayri Kirchman & Steadman

New Ireland Rail (Gallirallus ernstmayri)

The New Ireland Rail was described in 2006, it was restricted to the island of New Ireland.

The species was among the larger members of its genus, probably reaching a size of about 30 cm, it was completely flightless. [1]

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The New Ireland Rail very likely was closely related to the Pink-legged Rail (Gallirallus insignis (P. L. Sclater)) (see depiction below), a large, flightless rail from the neighboring island of New Britain.

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References:

[1] Jeremy J. Kirchman; David W. Steadman: Rails (Rallidae: Gallirallus) from prehistoric archaeological sites in Western Oceania. Zootaxa 1316: 1-31. 2006

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Pink-legged Rail (Gallirallus insignis)

Depiction from: ‘P. L. Sclater: On a fifth collection of birds made by the Rev. G. brown, C. M. Z. S., on Duke-of-York Island and in its vicinity. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1880: 65-67’

(public domain)

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edited: 22.05.2019