Ancient DNA provides new insights into the evolutionary history of New Zealand's extinct giant eagle.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Bunce M
PROVIDER: S-EPMC539324 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Jan
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Ancient DNA provides new insights into the evolutionary history of New Zealand's extinct giant eagle.
Bunce Michael M Szulkin Marta M Lerner Heather R L HR Barnes Ian I Shapiro Beth B Cooper Alan A Holdaway Richard N RN
PLoS biology 20050104 1
Prior to human settlement 700 years ago New Zealand had no terrestrial mammals--apart from three species of bats--instead, approximately 250 avian species dominated the ecosystem. At the top of the food chain was the extinct Haast's eagle, Harpagornis moorei. H. moorei (10-15 kg; 2-3 m wingspan) was 30%-40% heavier than the largest extant eagle (the harpy eagle, Harpia harpyja), and hunted moa up to 15 times its weight. In a dramatic example of morphological plasticity and rapid size increase, w ...[more]
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