Paleognaths and the rise of ostriches – YouTube video from Dr Polaris

Click to view 15:25 minute video from Dr Polaris. Comments below.

Strong presentation!
A few corrections based on trait analysis:

1. Madagascar elephant birds (Aepyornis maximus) are more closely related to African ostriches (Struthio). Tinamou-sized, four-toed and flightless Early Cretaceous Patagopteryx (not mentioned in the video) from Patagonia is basal to both.

2. New Zealand moas (Aepyornis) are more closely related to South American hoatzins (Opisthocomus, not mentioned in the video).

3. Kiwis (Apteryx, Fig 1) are more closely related to extant woodcock (Scolopax) and snipe (Gallinago, not mentioned in the video). Eocene Pseudocrypturus (Fig 1), a lithornithid from North America, and Late Cretaceous Vegavis, from Antarctica, are primitive members of this world-wide clade.

Figure 1. Jurapteryx, Pseudocrypturus, Apteryx and Proapteryx to scale.

4. Rheas, emus and cassowaries are giant tinamous, not as closely related to the other giant birds.

5. Genomic tests work wonders when fresh, but deliver untenable results in deep time studies that nest bats with rhinos and cats.

6. Clades should not be defined by a dozen traits, which can and do converge, but by the last common ancestor method after a wide gamut analysis of several hundred traits and taxa.

7. Be careful with your upcoming ‘notungulates’. Some traditional members are marsupials, while others are placentals. More details and cladograms at ReptileEvolution online.