Mullerornis


Mullerornis is a genus of extinct elephant birds of Madagascar.

Description

Mullerornis is smaller than the more well-known Aepyornis. A bone possibly belonging to Mullerornis has been radiocarbon dated to about 1260 BP, suggesting that the animal was still extant at the end of the first millennium. Aepyornis modestus was shown by Hansford and Turvey to be a senior synonym of all nominal Mullerornis species described by Milne-Edwards and Grandidier, resulting in the new combination Mullerornis modestus.

Nocturnality

Like other aepyornithids and its close kiwi relatives, Mullerornis was nocturnal, though it shows less optical lobe reduction than these other taxa, implying slightly more crepuscular habits.

Etymology

The genus is named after Georges Muller, a French explorer, who was killed in 1892 by hostile members of the Sakalava people.

Synonyms of ''Mullerornis modestus''