An Extinct New Rail (<i>Gallirallus</i>, Aves: Rallidae) Species from Rapa Island, French Polynesia

oleh: Rodrigo B. Salvador, Atholl Anderson, Alan J. D. Tennyson

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2021-12-01

Deskripsi

A new species of rail, <i>Gallirallus astolfoi</i> sp. nov., is described from Rapa Island (Rapa Iti), French Polynesia. The holotype (and single known specimen) is a left tarsometatarsus recovered from Tangarutu Cave. This rail species was apparently endemic to Rapa Iti and potentially flightless. It became extinct after human colonisation of the island.