Image: Dromaius distribution

Description: Geographic distribution of emu taxa and historic shoreline reconstructions around Tasmania. Modern Emu are currently found throughout mainland Australia. Extinct emu taxa were restricted to their respective islands: the Kangaroo Island Emu (purple), the King Island Emu (red) and the Tasmanian Emu. Twenty-five thousand years ago Tasmania, Flinders and King Island were connected to mainland Australia. Approximately 17,500 years ago King Island lost its direct connection with mainland Australia. By 14,000 years ago Tasmania, Flinders and King Island started to disconnect from the mainland, but were still connected to each other. By 11,000 years ago King Island was isolated from Tasmania, while the Tasmania was still connected to Flinders Island. Presently Tasmania, Flinders, King and Kangaroo Island are all isolated and disconnected from mainland Australia (modified from Lambert DM, Ritchie PA, Millar CD, Holland B, Drummond AJ, et al. (2002) Rates of evolution in ancient DNA from Adelie penguins. Science 295: 2270–2273, doi:10.1126/science.1068105.).
Title: Dromaius distribution
Credit: Heupink TH, Huynen L, Lambert DM (2011) Ancient DNA Suggests Dwarf and ‘Giant’ Emu Are Conspecific. PLoS ONE 6(4): e18728. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0018728.
Author: Tim H. Heupink, Leon Huynen, David M. Lambert
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