Pachyplichas
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| Pachyplichas Temporal range: Late Pleistocene-Holocene
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| Pachyplichas yaldwyni | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Acanthisittidae |
| Genus: | †Pachyplichas Millener, 1988 |
| Species | |
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2, see text | |
Pachyplichas is a genus containing two extinct species of New Zealand wren, a family of small birds endemic to New Zealand.
Species
- †P. yaldwyni (South Island stout-legged wren) – South Island, New Zealand
- †P. jagmi (North Island stout-legged wren) – North Island, New Zealand
Description
The stout-legged wrens formed a
species pair. They had reduced wings and robust legs indicating that they were adapted to a terrestrial existence and were either flightless or nearly so.[1] Genetic evidence has indicated that Pachyplichas is nested within Xenicus, and stout legged wrens must have evolved from a gracile legged ancestor. A cladogram is given below.[2]
References
Notes
Sources
- Millener, P.R. (1988). "Contributions to New Zealand's Late Quaternary avifauna. 1: Pachyplichas, a new genus of wren (Aves: Acanthisittidae), with two new species". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 18 (4): 383–406. .