Coua berthae

Coua berthae; Temporal range: Holocene
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Cuculiformes
Family:	Cuculidae
Genus:	Coua
Species:	C. berthae
Binomial name
	Coua berthae; Goodman & Ravoavy 1993

Coua berthae is an extinct species of coua, a large, mostly terrestrial bird in the cuckoo family, from Madagascar. It was the largest member of its genus, living or extinct.[1]

Discovery and naming

Alfred Grandidier discovered a complete tarsometatarsus at Apasambazimba as early as 1911.[2] This bone is in the Academie Malgache and is now classified as a paratype.[2] The holotype, a left half of the pelvis, was brought to light in 1983 in the Grotte d'Anjohibe near Andranoboka.[2]

It is named after the Malagasy primatologist and palaeontologist, Bertha Rakotosamimanana.[3]

Description

Due to the length of the pelvis half of 68.2 millimetres (2.69 in) and the tarsometatarsus of 92.9 millimetres (3.66 in), it is assumed that Coua berthae represented the largest type of silk cuckoo.[2] An estimated minimum weight of 740 grams (26 oz) was calculated from the comparison of the basin lengths of four recent types of silk cuckoo using linear regression.[2] This estimated weight is twice that of Coua gigas - the largest of the living couas.[4] Given that all silk cuckoo species have proportionally small wing bones, it has been assumed that Coua berthae was not a good flyer.[1]

Extinction

Coua berthae is known only from fossilized remains from the Holocene period; the exact time of extinction and the cause are unknown.[2] Deforestation could have been a contributing factor to its extinction.[5]

References

Hume, Julian P. (Julian Pender) (24 October 2017). Extinct birds (Second ed.). London, UK. ISBN 978-1-4729-3744-5. OCLC 957021237.
Goodman & Ravoavy; Smithsonian Institution (1993). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 106. Smithsonian Libraries. [Washington : Biological Society of Washington]. pp. 26–33.
Beolens, Bo. (2009). The eponym dictionary of mammals. Watkins, Michael, 1940-, Grayson, Michael. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-8018-9533-3. OCLC 593239356.
Goodman, Steven M. (4 September 2014). Extinct Madagascar : picturing the island's past. Jungers, William L., 1948-. Chicago. p. 139. ISBN 978-0-226-14397-2. OCLC 879538884.
Raherilalao, Marie Jeanne (2011). Histoire naturelle des familles et sous-familles endémiques d'oiseaux de Madagascar. Goodman, Steven M. Antananarivo, Madagascar: Association Vahatra. ISBN 978-2-9538923-2-1. OCLC 801102410.

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[:1-1] Hume, Julian P. (Julian Pender) (24 October 2017). Extinct birds (Second ed.). London, UK. ISBN 978-1-4729-3744-5. OCLC 957021237.

[:0-2] Goodman & Ravoavy; Smithsonian Institution (1993). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 106. Smithsonian Libraries. [Washington : Biological Society of Washington]. pp. 26–33.

[3] Beolens, Bo. (2009). The eponym dictionary of mammals. Watkins, Michael, 1940-, Grayson, Michael. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-8018-9533-3. OCLC 593239356.

[4] Goodman, Steven M. (4 September 2014). Extinct Madagascar : picturing the island's past. Jungers, William L., 1948-. Chicago. p. 139. ISBN 978-0-226-14397-2. OCLC 879538884.

[5] Raherilalao, Marie Jeanne (2011). Histoire naturelle des familles et sous-familles endémiques d'oiseaux de Madagascar. Goodman, Steven M. Antananarivo, Madagascar: Association Vahatra. ISBN 978-2-9538923-2-1. OCLC 801102410.