Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

Diogenornis

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Kingdom
  
Animalia

Phylum
  
Chordata

Order
  
Casuariiformes

Class
  
Aves

Rank
  
Species

Genus
  
†Diogenornis Alvarenga, 1983

Similar
  
Palaeotis, Lithornithidae, Casuariiformes, Eremopezus, Pseudocrypturus

Diogenornis fragilis is an extinct ratite that lived during the Paleocene. It was described in 1983 by Brazilian scientist Herculano Marcos Ferraz de Alvarenga. The type species is D. fragilis. While initially considered a member of the family Opisthodactylidae, further examination of the fossil remains showed that it was more similar to the modern rhea. According to Gerald Mayr, Diogenornis is best considered a stem-group member of the Rheidae. It grew to about two thirds the size of the modern greater rhea, at about 90 centimeters of height.

However, recent phylogenetic studies have shown a closer affiliation to Australian ratites, the cassowaries and emus. This may reevaluate the origins and distribution of this clade, expanding their range to the South American Paleocene, well before the appearance of Emuarius. Recent findings nonetheless show that it co-existed with early rheas, meaning the ratite diversity of South America was very high during the Paleogene.

Diogenornis possesses a rather narrow beak, similar to that of tinamous, lithornithids and cassowaries, as well as rather large wings. These traits, both rather unspecialised, seem to suggest a then recent development from a flying ancestor.

References

Diogenornis Wikipedia