Rediscovery of the types of Dinornis curtus Owen and Palapteryx geranoides Owen, with a new synonymy (Aves: Dinornithiformes): Tuhinga 16

Tuhinga 16: 33 - 43

ABSTRACT: A left tibiotarsus BMNH A5906, carrying the original Royal College of Surgeons number 2305 (later replaced by 2290 and then by 2292), located in the Natural History Museum, London, is identified as the lectotype (nominated by Lydekker in his 1891 catalogue) of Dinornis curtus Owen, 1846. BMNH 21687, the lectotypical cranium of Palapteryx geranoides Owen, 1848, was found to be conspecific with Pachyornis mappini Archey, 1941, which therefore becomes a junior synonym of Palapteryx geranoides, now known as Pachyornis geranoides, for which a new synonymy is given. The majority of moa bones from Waingongoro, Taranaki, New Zealand, whence the lectotypical cranium of Pachyornis geranoides originated, belong to this same species, as originally stated by Owen. Photographs of both lectotypes are presented. A lectotype for Pachyornis septentrionalis Oliver, 1949 is nominated, as the ‘type’ is a ‘skeleton’ that comprises two taxa.

KEYWORDS: Dinornithiformes, moa, Dinornis curtus, Palapteryx geranoides, Pachyornis mappini, lectotypes, new synonymy.