Kosrae crake
| Kosrae crake | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Gruiformes |
| Family: | Rallidae |
| Genus: | Zapornia |
| Species: | †Z. monasa
|
| Binomial name | |
| †Zapornia monasa (Kittlitz, 1858)
| |
| Synonyms | |
The Kosrae crake or Kusaie Island crake (Zapornia monasa), sometimes also stated as Kittlitz's rail, is an extinct bird from the family
Description
It was discovered in 1827 by Heinrich von Kittlitz. Von Kittlitz described its plumage as general black with bluish gloss. The quills were more brownish. The chin and the middle of the throat were brown. The surface of its tail were brownish-black. The undertail coverts exhibit white spots. The inner wing coverts were brownish and were spotted with white. The outer edged of the first primary was dull brown. Eyes, legs and feet had a reddish hue. The bill was black. Its size was about 18 cm.
Controversial data exists as to its ability to fly. X-ray measurements of the carpometacarpi lead to the assumption that it was flightless. However its native name nay-tay-mai-not which means "the one who lands in the taro plot" might imply that the ability to fly was present.[2]
Extinction
The Kosrae crake is only known by two specimens taken by von Kittlitz in December 1827 in the swamps of Kosrae. The two skins are now in the
References
- . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ISBN 0-670-27987-0
Further reading
- Greenway, James (1967): Extinct and Vanishing Birds of the World, Dover Publications Inc. New York, ISBN 0-486-21869-4
- Errol Fuller (2000). Extinct Birds, ISBN 0-8160-1833-2
- Flannery, Tim & Schouten, Peter (2001). A Gap in Nature: Discovering the World's Extinct Animals, Atlantic Monthly Press, New York. ISBN 0-87113-797-6.
- David Day (1981). The Doomsday Book of Animals, Ebury Press, London, ISBN 0-670-27987-0