A new fossil species of kiwi (Aves: Apterygidae) from the mid-Pleistocene of New Zealand

ABSTRACT

We describe Apteryx littoralis sp. nov., a new species of kiwi based on a 1-million-year-old tarsometatarsus from shallow marine sediment in the North Island of New Zealand. The fossil is very similar to the tarsometatarsi of living kiwi species, most closely resembling Apteryx rowi and A. mantelli in size and shape, but differs in being stouter, with proportionally narrower proximal and distal ends. The new fossil is the second oldest known record of kiwi. It demonstrates a relatively conservative kiwi morphology since the mid-Pleistocene.

http://zoobank.org/References/cefc907d-0c1d-44dc-83c5-5799f5d6d3d2

KEYWORDS:

• Apteryx littoralis sp. nov
• Apteryx rowi
• Apteryx mantelli
• tarsometatarsus

Acknowledgments

We thank Graeme Morrison for allowing us access to his property where the kiwi fossil was found. We also thank the museum curators and staff who kindly sent us specimen information, received us and allowed us to measure the specimens under their care: Matt Rayner, Ruby Moore and Brian Gill (AIM); Paul Scofield, Phil Skewes and Natasha Bonham-Carter (CMC); Kimberley Stephenson (Southland Museum & Art Gallery). Marianna Terezow and Matt Sagar provided AJDT with access to examine the “kiwi footprint” (GNS Science CD49). Ray Webster (Landcare Research) contributed with initial discussion and statistical analyses. Henrique Soares provided assistance with the classification models. Jean-Claude Stahl (NMNZ) photographed the NMNZ specimens. The field party that found the kiwi fossil were AJDT, Dean Baigent-Mercer, Maggie Kemble and Claire Hawkins. Two anonymous referees provided valuable comments that helped us to improve the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

BMT was supported by a Rubicon fellowship of the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research [NWO; Rubicon #019.181EN.005].