Proapteryx facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Proapteryx |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Apterygiformes |
| Family: | Apterygidae |
| Genus: | †Proapteryx Worthy et al. 2013 |
| Species | |
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†Proapteryx micromeros Worthy et al. 2013 |
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Proapteryx micromeros was an ancient type of kiwi. It lived about 16 to 19 million years ago. Scientists found its fossils in New Zealand, in a place called Otago. This special kiwi helps us understand how modern kiwis came to be.
What Made Proapteryx Special?
Proapteryx micromeros was much smaller than kiwis we see today. It weighed only about 234 to 377 grams. To compare, the smallest living kiwi, the Little spotted kiwi, weighs at least 800 grams.
This ancient kiwi also had a shorter beak. Its legs were quite thin and graceful. They looked more like the legs of flying birds, such as the banded rail. Modern kiwis have much stronger, thicker legs.
Because of its thin legs, scientists think Proapteryx might have been able to fly. Or it might have come from ancestors that could fly. This is a big clue about how kiwis changed over time.
Why Proapteryx Is Important
Proapteryx did not have special features for living only on the ground. This supports an idea that kiwi ancestors flew to New Zealand. They likely came from Australia during the Miocene epoch. This was long after moas had become large and flightless. Moa fossils have also been found in the same area.
This fossil helps us understand how different bird groups arrived in New Zealand. It shows that kiwis and moas came to New Zealand separately. They are not closely related. Moas are related to tinamous. Kiwis are related to Australian ratites, like the cassowary and emu.
Scientists also found that kiwis are related to the elephant birds of Madagascar. Proapteryx shows that flying Australian palaeognaths existed in the early Miocene. This means that elephant birds might have flown across the Indian Ocean around that time.
See also
In Spanish: Proapteryx para niños
