Article

2008-09-12 Science & Technology

ostriches emus cassowaries rheas kiwi - products of parallel evolution

Large flightless birds of the southern continents - African ostriches, Australian emus and cassowaries, South American rheas and the New Zealand kiwi - do not share a common flightless ancestor as once believed.

Instead, each species individually lost its flight after diverging from ancestors that did have the ability to fly, according to new research conducted in part by University of Florida zoology professor Edward Braun.

Posted by 3dc 2008-09-12 02:13|| || Front Page|| [11124 views ] Top

#1 What about the giant, carnivorous, flightless birds of South America? Called "terror birds", they were 3-10 feet in height, and would think a human was a yummy snack:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phorusrhacidae

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-09-12 18:34|| 2008-09-12 18:34|| Front Page Top

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