Aepyornis
Aepyornis is an extinct genus of elephant bird formerly endemic to Madagascar. The genus had two species, the smaller A. hildebrandti and the larger A. maximus, which is possibly the largest bird ever to have lived. Its closest living relative is the New Zealand kiwi. They became extinct sometime around 1000 CE, probably as a result of human activity.
| Aepyornis Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| Aepyornis maximus skeleton and egg | |
Extinct (1000 CE) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Infraclass: | Palaeognathae |
| Order: | †Aepyornithiformes |
| Genus: | †Aepyornis I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1851 |
| Type species | |
| Aepyornis maximus | |
| Species | |
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| Map of Madagascar showing where A. hildebrandti (b) and A. maximus (c) specimens have been found | |
| Synonyms | |
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