Malagasy lapwing
Extinct species of bird
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Malagasy lapwing (Vanellus madagascariensis) is an extinct type of wader/shorebird, in the lapwing family.
| Malagasy lapwing Temporal range: Late Holocene | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Charadriiformes |
| Family: | Charadriidae |
| Genus: | Vanellus |
| Species: | †V. madagascariensis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Vanellus madagascariensis Goodman, 1997[1] | |
Description
It is known only from two subfossil humeri, found in separate locales in south-western Madagascar, which were described by Steven M. Goodman.
The species is notable for the huge carpal spurs that it sported on its wings, the largest spurs of any lapwing species both in relative and absolute size.[2]
Estimated time of extinction
Radiocarbon dating has indicated that the species became extinct in the 14th century, during a period of climatic aridification.[3]
