New Caledonian ground dove

The New Caledonian ground dove (Pampusana longitarsus) is a large, extinct species of Pampusana ground dove in the pigeon family, and the largest member of its genus. It was endemic to the island of New Caledonia in Melanesia in the south-west Pacific region. It was described from subfossil bones found at the Pindai Caves paleontological site on the west coast of Grande Terre. The specific epithet refers to the slender and elongated tarsometatarsus, or lower leg bone, of the species.[1]

New Caledonian ground dove
Temporal range: Late Holocene
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
Genus: Pampusana
Species:
P. longitarsus
Binomial name
Pampusana longitarsus
(Balouet & Olson, 1989)
Synonyms
  • Gallicolumba longitarsus Balouet & Olson, 1989
  • Alopecoenas longitarsus

References edit

  1. ^ Balouet, J.C.; Olson, Storrs L. (1989). "Fossil birds from Late Quaternary deposits in New Caledonia" (PDF). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology. 469 (469): 16–17. doi:10.5479/si.00810282.469.