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Kairuku
Taxonomy
Kairuku was named by Ksepka et al. (2012).
It was assigned to Sphenisciformes by Ksepka et al. (2012).
It was assigned to Sphenisciformes by Ksepka et al. (2012).
Species
Synonymy list
Year | Name and author |
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2012 | Kairuku Ksepka et al. p. 239 |
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If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.
G. †Kairuku Ksepka et al. 2012
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†Kairuku grebneffi Ksepka et al. 2012
†Kairuku waewaeroa Giovanardi et al. 2021
†Kairuku waitaki Ksepka et al. 2012
Diagnosis
Reference | Diagnosis | |
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D. T. Ksepka et al. 2012 | Three apomorphies diagnose Kairuku: absence of the crista medialis hypotarsi (present in all other sphenisci- forms), medial border of the tibiotarsus strongly convex in distal view, and stout femoral proportions (midshaft width >15% total length). The long, narrow sternum, and flattened, plate-like py- gostyle are unique among described species of Sphenisciformes. However, because these elements are unknown in most Paleo- gene sphenisciforms, the aforementioned features are potentially plesiomorphic and their diagnostic nature remains unverified. |