Aegotheles novaezealandiae

The species description was made by Ron Scarlett in 1968 based on extensive material that was collected at the in Christchurch , some individual bones were discovered as early as the 19th century. The earliest remains of a New Zealand owl kozodoy were found in the Ernskleu Cave ( Earnscleugh ), in Otago on the South Island in 1874. A total of fossils included three partial skeletons and many separate bones. Thanks to research undertaken by Scarlet in 1967 based on information from the in Adelaide , the in Melbourne and other Australian research centers, the scientist was able to isolate the New Zealand finds into a separate species. Scarlett had difficulty choosing a holotype to determine the species, but eventually settled on the remains found in the limestone caves in January 1960. The selected holotype does not contain a complete skeleton, the skull was described on the basis of other remains ^[1] .

Aegotheles novaezealandiae is the largest representative of the family of owl kozodoev ^[2] , based on the ratio between the size of limbs and body weight, its mass was calculated as 150–200 g . These figures are commensurate with the extremely rare Novokledledonsky owl ( Aegotheles savesi ) and significantly exceed the mass of the Australian owl ( Aegotheles cristatus ) ^[3] . The fossil species is characterized by a long thin bob and highly reduced wings. Other features of the skeleton include a wide and strong buckle , as well as a more flattened skull with a perforated interocular septum, which is also characteristic of a large owl ( Aegotheles insignis ) and a Moluccan owl ( Aegotheles crinifrons ), protruded into the sides of the orpus colds ( Aegotheles crinifrons ), protruded into the sides of the Moulacian owl ( Nighthigh ) owls, except for the Australian, deeper three-headed fossa of the humerus , as in novokledononsky owl kozodoy. Some other described characteristics may be individual features of individual specimens ^[2] .

In the 20th century, owl goatods were referred to goat-like ^[4] and further comparison of the remnants Scarlett made with representatives of this order. In the description given by the scientist, it is indicated that the posterior region of the skull is wide and rounded, which is typical of Aegotheles , but distinguishes remnants from the almost square region of ( Eurostopodus ). At the same time, the size of this area in the detected remains is much smaller than in South Asian kozodoy , belonog ( Podargus ) and other goat-like. The fragments of the beak that have survived in the Auckland Museum have a similar structure to the beak of modern owl kozodoev, but probably a bit larger in adult birds. Similarly, pelvic and hip bones exhibit a similar shape and larger size. The structure of tibiotarsus and tarsus is also similar to modern species, but the bones are about twice as large. Noticeably larger wing bones - humeral, ulna , radius and buckle. Scarlett noted that the remains are similar to members of the owl family of goats, more strongly than other goat-like ones, and large paws and wings are typical for New Zealand birds ^[1] .

Birds from the North Island are generally larger than birds from the South Island, which is consistent with the rule of Bergman - a widespread distribution model, when large animals are usually found in colder regions. Large hind and small forelimbs, the size of the chest and keel suggest that this species almost did not fly ^[5] .

Based on an analysis of the places where the remains of a New Zealand owl kozodoy were found, scientists concluded that birds were widely distributed on both main islands of New Zealand, as well as on D'Urville Island . On the South Island, remains were also found on the western coast, with its wet forests, and on the eastern, drier, with mosaic vegetation, including shrubs. Since the settling of the first Polynesians, these territories have developed very differently ^[3] . Most of the remains of Aegotheles novaezealandiae belong to the Holocene, but some finds belong to the Upper Pleistocene ^{[3] [6]} . The remains of an adult bird and chick were found under a niche suitable for building a nest, at the entrance to the Kairuru cave ^[3] .

At first, scientists believed that the remains did not belong to the cultural layer, that is, they were formed before the appearance of the first people on the islands ^{[1] [3]} . Further studies have shown that the Weka Pass in the northern part of Cantebreri , which seems to correspond to one of the places Scarlett’s finds from, also contains a thin cultural layer. Similarly, on the site of the Frenchmans Gully excavation site in southern Canterbury, drawings of early Polynesians were discovered ^[3] . Thus, scientists have suggested that the birds still lived on the island when Maori arrived about 1000–800 years ago. Perhaps the extinction of this species is somehow related to human activity ^[7] .

At the same time, it is not clear whether the fossil remains of New Zealand owl kozodoys belong to the cultural layer, or still belong to the earlier natural layer, represented mainly by laughing owls ( Sceloglaux albifacies ) or their ancestors. It is known that the latter survived until the beginning of the 20th century and can give an idea of ​​when the New Zealand owl kozodoi died out, since the latter often became the prey of owls. The lack of bones of the New Zealand owl kozodoy in the cultural layer can be explained by the fact that these nocturnal birds rarely got into the food to the first inhabitants of the island ^[3] .

Radiocarbon analysis showed that most of the finds are over 950 years old and only remains from Ardenest, on which laughing owls lived until the second half of the 19th century, are dated back to 1183 years. Scientists have concluded that birds on the South and North Islands became extinct before the end of the 13th century, when Polynesians were widely spread on the island. Thus, human activity did not affect the extinction of the species, as well as any disease or climate change. They associate the extinction of New Zealand owl kozodoev with the appearance of predatory small rats ( Rattus exulans ). Flightless birds could not move to the neighboring islands, as Stephensky bush wren ( Traversia lyetip ), who flew to Stevens Island in the Straits of the Cook Strait , Phylosturnus carunculus ( Philesturnus carunculatus ), Bush New Zealand wren ( )) New Zealand wedge ( Xenicusythematologyythematologyythematologyythematologyythematrumythematrumyphrushthefethyrphythematrumythephrushtheyrph ). on the islands near the island of Stewart ^[3] .

Ron Scarlett attributed the species to his own genus Megaegotheles , the main characteristics of which were considered to be large sizes and a weak aircraft ^[4] . The original description made by him in 1968 and the subsequent supplement published in 1977 did not contain a comparison of the species with owl kozodoy, with the exception of Australian, but many of the new characteristics found were not observed in the latter, but are found in other members of the family ^[2] . Due to the fact that the dimensions of the Novokedledonsky owl kozodoy are between the New Zealand species and the other owls kozodoi, and the other characteristics - of a weak aircraft and strong legs - are not enough to be distinguished into a separate genus, the American ornithologist Storrs Lovejoy Olson suggested attributing the fossil species to the modern Aegotheles genus ^{[2] [3]} .

Molecular studies by American biologist and others, published in 2003, showed that Aegotheles novaezealandiae is the basal for modern owl kozodoev. Perhaps this fossil species is closely related to the Aegotheles savesi living in New Caledonia . Both island species are characterized by large sizes and stronger legs, indicating a predominantly terrestrial lifestyle, but it remains unclear whether these signs are synapomorphic or have resulted from convergent evolution ^[4] .

Presumably, this species reached New Zealand when the islands were located closer to the mainland ^[4] .

• Holyoak DT Family Aegothelidae (Owlet-nightjars) (English) . Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (10 September 2014). The appeal date is May 25, 2019.