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Ratitae

Reptilia

Taxonomy
Ratitae was named by Merrem (1813). It is extant.

It was reranked as the order Ratitae by Zittel (1890), Jaekel (1911) and Hay (1930); it was synonymized subjectively with Dromaeognathae by Hay (1902); it was reranked as the unranked clade Ratitae by Baur (1887), Gadow (1898), Gardiner (1982) and Livezey and Zusi (2007).

It was assigned to Aves by Baur (1887); to Aves by Zittel (1890) and Andrews (1906); to Neornithes by Gadow (1898) and Jaekel (1911); to Eurhipidurae by Hay (1930); to Aves by Gardiner (1982); and to Palaeognathae by Livezey and Zusi (2007).

Subtaxa
Apterygimorphae, Casuariimorphae, Struthiones, Struthionimorphae
Sister taxa
Apterygimorphae, Casuariimorphae, Struthionimorphae

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1813Ratitae Merrem
1887Ratitae Baur p. 102
1890Ratitae Zittel p. 825
1898Ratitae Gadow p. 30
1906Ratitae Andrews p. 258
1911Ratitae Jaekel p. 175
1930Ratitae Hay p. 280
1982Ratitae Gardiner p. 229
2007Ratitae Livezey and Zusi p. 89

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
—Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
—Reptiliomorpha
—Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
—Cotylosauria()
—Amniota
—Sauropsida
classReptilia
subclassEureptilia()
—Romeriida
—Diapsida()
RankNameAuthor
—Archosauromorpha(Huene 1946)
—Crocopoda
—ArchosauriformesGauthier 1986
—Eucrocopoda
—Archosauria()
informalAvemetatarsalia
—Ornithodira
—Dinosauromorpha
—Dinosauriformes
—Dinosauria()
—Theropoda()
—Neotheropoda
—AverostraPaul 2002
—Tetanurae
—Coelurosauria()
—Maniraptora
—Paraves
classAves
subclassNeornithesGadow 1893
superorderPalaeognathaePycraft 1900
—Ratitae(Merrem 1813)
—Ratitae(Merrem 1813)

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.

Unr. Ratitae Merrem 1813
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Or. Apterygiformes [kiwi]
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Fm. Apterygidae Gray 1840
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G. Apteryx Huxley 1867 [kiwi]
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Apteryx australis Shaw 1813 [Southern brown kiwi]
Apteryx haastii Potts 1872 [Great spotted kiwi]
Apteryx mantelli Bartlett 1851 [Northern brown kiwi]
Apteryx owenii Gould 1847 [Little spotted kiwi]
Apteryx rowi Tennyson et al. 2003 [Okarito kiwi]
G. †Metapteryx De Vis 1892
G. †Proapteryx Worthy et al. 2013
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†Proapteryx micromeros Worthy et al. 2013
G. †Pseudapteryx Lydekker 1891
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†Pseudapteryx gracilis Lydekker 1891
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Fm. †Dinornithidae Bonaparte 1853
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G. †Dinornis Owen 1843
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†Dinornis dromoides Hutton 1900
†Dinornis giganteus Owen 1844
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Invalid names: Dinornis excelsus Hutton 1892 [synonym]
†Dinornis ingens Owen 1844
†Dinornis maximus Owen 1868
†Dinornis struthoides Owen 1844
Invalid names: Moa Reichenbach 1852 [synonym], Palapteryx Owen 1848 [synonym], Tylopteryx Hutton 1892 [synonym]
Fm. †Emeidae
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G. †Anomalopteryx Reichenbach 1853
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†Anomalopteryx antiquus Hutton 1892
†Anomalopteryx curtus Owen 1847
†Anomalopteryx parvus Owen 1883
G. †Emeus Riechenbach 1852
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†Emeus casuarinus Lydekker 1891
†Emeus crassus Owen 1846 [eastern moa]
†Emeus exillis Hutton 1897
†Emeus huttoni Owen 1879
G. †Euryapteryx Haast 1874
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†Euryapteryx geranoides Owen 1848 [Mantell's moa]
†Euryapteryx gravipes Lydekker 1891
†Euryapteryx immanis Lydekker 1891
†Euryapteryx kuranui Oliver 1930
†Euryapteryx ponderosus Hutton 1892
†Euryapteryx pygmaeus Hutton 1892
Invalid names: Cela Reichenbach 1852 [synonym]
G. †Pachyornis Lydekker 1891
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†Pachyornis australis Oliver 1949
†Pachyornis elephantopus Owen 1856 [heavy-footed moa]
Invalid names: Anomalopterygidae [synonym]
Fm. †Megalapterygidae Bunce et al. 2009
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G. †Megalapteryx Haast 1885
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†Megalapteryx didinus Lydekker 1891
†Megalapteryx hectori Haast 1886
Superor. Casuariimorphae Livezey and Zusi 2007
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Or. Casuariiformes [cassowary]
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Fm. Casuariidae Kaup 1847
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G. Casuarius Brisson 1760 [cassowary]
Subfm. Dromaiinae
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G. †Emuarius Boles 1991
G. Dromaius Vieillot 1816 [emu]
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†Dromaius arleyekweke Yates and Worthy 2019
†Dromaius minor Spencer 1906 [King island emu]
Dromaius novaehollandiae Latham 1790 [Common emu]
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Invalid names: Dromaius gracilipes De Vis 1892 [synonym], Dromaius patricius De Vris 1888 [synonym], Metapteryx bifrons De Vis 1892 [synonym]
†Dromaius ocypus Miller 1963
Invalid names: Dromaiidae Richmond 1908 [empty]
Invalid names: Struthiones [empty], Struthionimorphae Livezey and Zusi 2007 [empty]
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
K. A. v. Zittel 1890Schwungfedernfehlen. Flügelverkümmert,zuweilengänzlich fehlend. Brustbein ohne Crista, Furcula unvollständig oder fehlend. Wirbel mit sattelförmigen Gelenkflächen. Schwanzwirbel häufig frei. Rippen zweiköpfig, mit oder ohne Processus uncinatus.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: hydroxyapatiteo
Entire body: yeso
Adult length: 10 to < 100o
Adult width: 1.0 to < 10o
Adult height: 1.0 to < 10o
Architecture: compact or denseo
Ontogeny: accretion, modification of partso
Grouping: solitaryo
Environment: terrestrialo
Locomotion: actively mobileo
Life habit: ground dwellingo
Diet: carnivoresubo
Reproduction: oviparouso
Dispersal: direct/internalo
Dispersal 2: mobileo
Created: 2009-01-03 20:39:15
Modified: 2009-01-03 22:39:15
Source: subo = suborder, o = order
References: Benton 1983, Marsh 1875

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Early/Lower Maastrichtian to the top of the Holocene or 70.60000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 66.0 Ma

Collections (69 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Early/Lower Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0France (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) Ratitae indet. (47893)
Priabonian38.0 - 33.9Antarctica (Seymour Island) Ratitae indet. (100187)
Late/Upper Eocene37.2 - 33.9Antarctica Phorusrhacidae indet. (120887)
Late/Upper Oligocene - Early/Lower Miocene28.4 - 15.97Australia (South Australia) Dromaius gidju (13313)
Aquitanian - Burdigalian23.03 - 15.97Australia (Queensland) Dromaius gidju (183096)
Altonian19.0 - 15.9New Zealand (Otago) Dinornithiformes indet. (153885 175629)
Altonian19.0 - 15.9New Zealand (South Island) Dinornithidae indet. (73690 126289 126291) Dinornithiformes indet., Proapteryx micromeros (153884) Proapteryx micromeros (152098)
Middle Miocene15.97 - 11.608Australia (Northern Territory) Dromaius sp. (13314)
Late/Upper Miocene11.608 - 5.333Australia (Northern Territory) Dromaius arleyekweke (135707) Dromaius sp. (13315)
Early/Lower Pliocene5.333 - 3.6Australia (Queensland) Dromaius novaehollandiae (13318)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6Australia (South Australia) Dromaius novaehollandiae, Dromaius sp. (13317)
Pliocene5.333 - 2.588Australia (South Australia) Dromaius ocypus (13316)
Late/Upper Pliocene3.6 - 2.588Papua New Guinea (Morobe) Casuarius sp. (36266)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117New Zealand (North Island) Dinornithiformes indet. (150551)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117Australia (South Australia) Dromaius novaehollandiae (28298 136073 136076)
Pleistocene - Holocene2.588 - 0.0New Zealand Pachyornis sp., Pachyornis elephantopus, Euryapteryx geranoides, Anomalopteryx didiformis, Megalapteryx didinus, Pachyornis australis (182839)
Middle Pleistocene0.774 - 0.129Australia (South Australia) Dromaius novaehollandiae (28364)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Australia (Queensland) Dromaius novaehollandiae (210195 210197)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (late glacial)0.129 - 0.0117Australia (Victoria) Dromaius sp. (92836)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Australia (South Australia) Dromaius novaehollandiae (182079) Dromaius sp. (13319)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117New Zealand (South Island) Dinornithiformes indet., Emeidae indet., Pachyornis elephantopus, Emeus crassus, Apteryx australis (87810) Dinornithiformes indet., Pachyornis elephantopus (87806) Dinornithiformes indet., Pachyornis elephantopus, Euryapteryx geranoides, Emeus crassus, Dinornis giganteus, Apteryx australis (87814)
Late/Upper Pleistocene - Holocene0.129 - 0.0New Zealand (South Island) Pachyornis elephantopus, Euryapteryx geranoides (87804)
Late/Upper Pleistocene - Holocene0.129 - 0.0New Zealand Apteryx sp., Euryapteryx geranoides, Dinornis novaezealandiae, Pachyornis australis (182828) Dinornithiformes indet., Apteryx sp. (182840) Dinornithiformes indet., Apteryx sp., Pachyornis elephantopus, Euryapteryx geranoides, Dinornis struthoides, Anomalopteryx didiformis, Megalapteryx didinus (182838) Dinornithiformes indet., Euryapteryx sp., Dinornis struthoides, Anomalopteryx didiformis (182103) Pachyornis elephantopus (182104) Pachyornis sp., Apteryx sp., Anomalopteryx didiformis (182833)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0New Zealand Anomalopteryx didiformis (181849) Apteryx australis (195150) Apteryx sp. (175901) Apteryx sp. juv., Emeidae indet., Euryapteryx geranoides, Emeus crassus, Apteryx australis (194618) Apteryx sp. juv., Emeidae indet., Pachyornis elephantopus, Euryapteryx geranoides, Emeus crassus, Dinornis giganteus, Apteryx australis (100554) Dinornis robustus, Pachyornis elephantopus, Anomalopteryx didiformis, Megalapteryx didinus (182106) Dinornis sp., Dinornis novaezelandiae, Emeus sp., Pachyornis sp., Pachyornis elephantopus, Euryapteryx geranoides, Emeus crassus, Dinornis struthoides, Dinornis giganteus, Apteryx australis, Apteryx owenii (215577) Pachyornis elephantopus, Apteryx australis (194619)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0New Zealand (North Otago) Dinornithiformes indet., Pachyornis elephantopus, Emeus crassus, Dinornis struthoides (87790)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0New Zealand (South Island) Anomalopteryx casuarina, Dinornis novaezealandiae (215553) Anomalopteryx didiformis (215409) Apteryx australis (215407) Apteryx sp. (215415) Apteryx sp., Emeidae indet., Pachyornis elephantopus, Euryapteryx geranoides, Emeus crassus, Dinornis struthoides, Dinornis giganteus, Anomalopteryx didiformis, Apteryx australis, Apteryx owenii (215392) Apteryx sp., Euryapteryx geranoides, Megalapteryx didinus (215403) Dinornis sp., Pachyornis elephantopus, Euryapteryx geranoides, Emeus crassus (215612) Dinornithidae indet. (215381 215395 215582) Dinornithiformes indet. (87791 215387) Emeus crassus (215391) Emeus crassus, Apteryx australis (215414) Emeus crassus, Dinornis giganteus (215413) Megalapteryx didinus (215614) Pachyornis elephantopus, Emeus crassus (215411) Pachyornis elephantopus, Emeus crassus, Apteryx australis (215410) Pachyornis elephantopus, Emeus crassus, Dinornis struthoides, Dinornis giganteus, Apteryx australis (215412) Pachyornis elephantopus, Euryapteryx geranoides, Anomalopteryx didiformis (215405)