family dinornithidae
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Definition
- Noun:
- Family Dinornithidae: A taxonomic family of extinct, large, flightless birds known as moas, which were native to New Zealand.
Usage Notes
- The term "family Dinornithidae" is used in scientific and zoological contexts to classify a specific group of extinct ratite birds. It is a proper noun referring to the biological family. In common usage, the members of this family are simply called "moas."
Examples
- Noun:
- The family Dinornithidae included some of the tallest birds to have ever existed.
- Fossil evidence helps scientists understand the ecology of the family Dinornithidae.
Advanced Usage
- In paleontological literature, the name is often used in discussions of avian evolution and extinction events in Oceania.
- The rapid extinction of the family Dinornithidae following human colonization of New Zealand is a classic example of anthropogenic impact.
Variants and Related Words
- Dinornithidae (noun): The same taxonomic family name, often used without the word "family" in technical writing.
- Moas (plural noun): The common name for the birds belonging to this family.
- Several species of moas, all within the family Dinornithidae, are known from subfossil remains.
Synonyms
- Moas: This is the direct and most common synonym for the birds constituting the family Dinornithidae.
Related Terms
- Ratite (noun): A group of large, flightless birds including ostriches, emus, rheas, cassowaries, kiwis, and the extinct moas (family Dinornithidae).
- Dinornis (noun): The type genus of the family Dinornithidae, containing some of the largest moa species.
Noun
- moas