Malagasy lapwing

Malagasy lapwing
Temporal range: Late Holocene
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Genus: Vanellus
Species:
†V. madagascariensis
Binomial name
†Vanellus madagascariensis
Goodman, 1997[1]

The Malagasy lapwing (Vanellus madagascariensis) is an extinct type of wader/shorebird, in the lapwing family.

Evidence of existence

It is known only from two subfossil humeri, found in separate locales in south-western Madagascar, which were described by Steven M. Goodman.

The species is notable for the huge carpal spurs that it sported on its wings, the largest spurs of any lapwing species both in relative and absolute size.[2]

Estimated time of extinction

Radiocarbon dating has indicated that the species became extinct in the 14th century, during a period of climatic aridification.[3]

References

  1. ^ Goodman, Steven M (1997). "Description of a new species of subfossil lapwing (Aves: Charadriiformes, Charadriidae, Vanellus) from Madagascar". Bulletin du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle. 18: 607–614.
  2. ^ Goodman, Steven M.; Rasolonjatovo, Harimanjaka A. M. (2024-08-01). "Description of the wing spur in the subfossil Malagasy lapwing, Vanellus madagascariensis (Aves: Charadriiformes, Charadriidae): Insights into some of its possible life history traits and why it is extinct". Geobios. 85: 19–24. doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2024.02.002. ISSN 0016-6995.
  3. ^ Hume, Julian P; Walters, Michael (2012). Extinct Birds. Poyser Monographs. A&C Black. p. 125. ISBN 9781408158623.


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