Tag Archives: Zapornia sp.

Zapornia sp. ‘Hawai’i’ 1

Small Hawaii Crake (Zapornia sp.)  

This form is known from several subfossil remains that had been recovered from a site at Mauna Kea on the island of Hawai’i, Hawaiian Islands, at an elevation of 1450.  

The Small Hawaii Crake falls within the size range of the Hawaiian Crake (Zapornia sandwichensis (Gmelin)) and may in fact turn out to be identical with that species. [1]  

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References:  

[1] Storrs L. Olson & Helen F. James: Descriptions of thirty-two new species of birds from the Hawaiian Islands: Part I. Non-Passeriformes. In: Ornithological Monographs 45. 1991  

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edited: 20.03.2018

Zapornia sp. ‘Maui’

Medium Maui Rail (Zapornia sp.)  

The Medium Maui Rail is so far known from the subfossil remains of probably only two individuals, one was found in the Pu’u Naio Cave, the other one in the Lower Waihoi Valley Cave, together with the remains of the larger Severn’s Rail (Zapornia severnsi (Olson & James)).  

The species was about the size of the Hawaiian Rail (Zapornia sandwicensis (Gmelin)). [1]  

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References:  

[1] Storrs L. Olson & Helen F. James: Descriptions of thirty-two new species of birds from the Hawaiian Islands: Part I. Non-Passeriformes. In: Ornithological Monographs 45. 1991  

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edited: 20.03.2018

Zapornia sp. ‘Mangaia’

Small Mangaian Crake (Zapornia sp.)  

The fossil record proves that once as many as three species of the genus Zapornia occurred next to each other on the island of Mangaia, Cook Islands.  

These are the extant Spotless Crake (Zapornia tabuensis (Gmelin)), which is probably locally extinct, the Mangaian Crake (Zapornia rua (Steadman)), which was endemic to the island and is now extinct, and a third species, not yet described.  

This third species was smaller than the Mangaian Crake and was very likely flightless too. [1]  

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References:  

[1] David W. Steadman: Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds. University of Chicago Press 2006  

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edited: 20.03.2018

Zapornia sp. ‘Kaua’i’ 1

Large Kauai Crake (Zapornia sp.)  

This rail form is known only from the subfossil distal end of a left femur, that was recovered from the Makawehi Dunes on the island of Kaua’i.  

This single part of a bone does not fall within the size range of any of the known rail species known from Kaua’i, but, of course, is to fragmentary to describe the species properly. [1]

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References:

[1] [1] Storrs L. Olson & Helen F. James: Descriptions of thirty-two new species of birds from the Hawaiian Islands: Part I. Non-Passeriformes. In: Ornithological Monographs 45. 1991

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edited: 18.05.2019

Zapornia sp. ‘Aiwa Levu’

Aiwa Levu Swamphen (Zapornia sp.)  

Excavations in post-Lapita sites on the small island of Aiwa Levu in the Lau Archipelago, Fiji produced subfossil bones from as much as 16 land bird species, four or five of them now extinct.  

Among these subfossil remains were that of a small, flightless rail, that could be assigned to the genus Zapornia. [1]  

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References:  

[1] David W. Steadman: Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds. University of Chicago Press 2006

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edited: 17.10.2020

Zapornia sp. ‘Ua Huka 1’

Ua Huka Swamphen (Zapornia sp.)  

There are at least two forms of swamphen that formerly inhabited the island of Ua Huka, Marquesas.  

These two species are both known from subfossil remains alone and differed from each other in their size.  

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References:  

[1] David W. Steadman: Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds. University of Chicago Press 2006  

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edited: 20.03.2018

Zapornia sp. ‘Kaua’i’ 2

Medium Kauai Crake (Zapornia sp.)

The Medium Kauai Crake is and undescribed species known from few bones that were recovered from the dunes at Makawehi in the south of the island of Kaua’i, Hawaiian Islands.

The species may have been about the size of the Hawaiian Crake (Zapornia sandwichensis (Gmelin)), perhaps slightly larger.

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References:

[1] [1] Storrs L. Olson & Helen F. James: Descriptions of thirty-two new species of birds from the Hawaiian Islands: Part I. Non-Passeriformes. In: Ornithological Monographs 45. 1991

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edited: 18.05.2019

Zapornia sp. ‘Nukuhiva’

Nukuhiva Swamphen (Zapornia sp.)  

This extinct form is currently known fonly from a few subfossil remains, which were found on the island of Nuku Hiva, Marquesas.  

The species has not been described so far. [1]  

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References:  

[1] David W. Steadman: Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds. University of Chicago Press 2006

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edited: 13.09.2020

Zapornia sp. ‘Ua Huka 2’

Ua Huka Swamphen (Zapornia sp.)  

This small and flightless bird is known from subfossil remains that had been found on the island of Ua Huka, Marquesas.  

The species disappeared shortly after the arrival of men on the islands.  

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References:  

[1] David W. Steadman: Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds. University of Chicago Press 2006  

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edited: 20.03.2018

Zapornia sp. ‚Malakula‘

Malakula Swamphen (Zapornia sp.)  

This is one the countless rail forms that are represented by several subfossil bones only, which, on the one hand, are sufficient enough to show them to be new, but, on the other hand, are not sufficient enough to describe them as new species.  

The bones of this form were excavated on the island of Malakula, Vanuatu.  

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References:  

[1] David W. Steadman: Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds. University of Chicago Press 2006

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edited: 18.10.2020

Zapornia sp. ‚Tinian‘

Tinian Swamphen (Zapornia sp.)  

The about 100 km² large island of Tinian in the Mariana island chain was once the home of yet another small, flightless species of rail, which is known today only from subfossil remains.  

These harmless little birds certainly were among the first victims of the dogs, pigs, and rats that had been introduced to the islands by the first human settlers. [1]  

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The island of Saipan, Tinian’s neighbor, very likely once harbored its own endemic species of the same genus, but remains are not known so far. [1]  

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References:  

[1] David W. Steadman: Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds. University of Chicago Press 2006  

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edited: 20.03.2018