Tag Archives: Porphyrio mcnabi

Porphyrio mcnabi Kirchman & Steadman

McNab‘s Swamphen (Porphyrio mcnabi)  

McNab‘s Swamphen was described in 2006 based on three subfossil femora that were recovered from the archaeological site at Fa’ahia at the northwestern coast of Huahine, Society Islands.

The three femurs are slightly smaller than those of the extant Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio martinicus (L.)) and the extinct Marquesan Swamphen (Porphyrio paepae Steadman), which both are of equal size. [1][2]

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In life, McNab’s Swamphen may have reached a size of about 30 cm, it was probably still volant but may not have been a good flier.

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References:  

[1] David W. Steadman: Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds. University of Chicago Press 2006 
[2] Jeremy J. Kirchman; David W. Steadman: New Species of Rails (Aves: Rallidae) from an Archaeological Site on Huahine, Society Islands. Pacific Science 60(2): 281-297. 2006  

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edited: 30.05.2019