Another look at Megaegotheles, a large owlet-nightjar from New Zealand

Pat Vickers Rich, Ron J. Scarlett

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Megaegotheles, a Pleistocene to sub-Recent relative of the Australasian owlet-nightjars Aegotheles, is re-examined and found to exhibit increase in body-size with increasing latitude.  Although the wings of this form are not markedly larger than those of Aegotheles, the hind limb is markedly larger, thus suggesting that Megaegotheles may have been flightless or nearly so, the first-known occurrence of this phenomenon in the Caprimulgiformes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-8
Number of pages8
JournalEmu: Austral Ornithology
Volume77
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1977
Externally publishedYes

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