Kingdom Animalia Suborder Acanthisitti Genus Pachyplichas Phylum Chordata Order Passerine | Class Aves Family Acanthisittidae Scientific name Pachyplichas jagmi Rank Species | |
Similar Passerine, Chatham coot, Scarlett's duck, Bushwren, Chatham duck | ||
Pachyplichas jagmi is an extinct species of New Zealand wren, a family of small birds endemic to New Zealand.
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History and etymology
The holotype is a right tarsometatarsus (AU 7102.20 in the collections of the Auckland University Geology Department) collected on 25 August 1978 from the Ruakuri Cave in the Waitomo District of the North Island of New Zealand. The specific epithet honours Dr John Grant-Mackie, Associate Professor of Geology at Auckland University, in recognition of his support for graduate students and for contributions to avian palaeontology.
Description
The wren is similar to, though smaller than, its congener from the South Island P. yaldwyni, with which it forms a species pair. Its reduced wings and robust legs indicates that it was strongly adapted to a terrestrial existence and was either flightless or nearly so.