Tinamus resonans: a Newly Described Species of Tinamou

Tinamus resonans

Maybe of relevance more to fellow bird watchers than anyone else, but despite their low species count and relative obscurity to most, the Tinamous are most definitely not without interest.

• They are the sister taxon to the extinct moas of New Zealand

• They are the only extant members of the palaeognath clade capable of flight

• Their related palaeognaths in rough increasing order of evolutionary distance are the extinct elephant birds of Madagascar; kiwis; emus and cassowaries; rheas; ostriches (outgroup)

• The oldest (palaeocene-eocene) undisputed fossil palaeognaths, including some excellent examples from Messel, are anatomically closer to Tinamiformes than their relatives (though with better apparent perching capabilities)

• This suggests that Tinamous are the closest extant taxon in form (if not evolutionary descent) to the common ancestor of all extant palaeognaths

• As palaeognaths ("old jaws") are the sister group to the more derived (less reptilian palate structure) neognaths ("new jaws" - all other extant birds) they are arguably the closest thing we have to the last common ancestor to all living birds.

Well, this paper made my day anyway.

Edited December 30, 2025Dec 30 by sethoflagos
Forgot kiwis