Fossil of a Large, Extinct Bird Relative of Chickens Discovered on Flores Island
A newly identified species of extinct bird named Megapodius rokusi has been uncovered on Flores Island, based on a leg bone fragment found in Liang Bua cave. This bird belonged to the megapode family and weighed approximately 3.9 kilograms, making it the largest known species within its genus. The fossil dates back to around 190,000 to 120,000 years ago. Its species name honors Indonesian zooarchaeologist Rokus Due Awe, who in 2003 contributed to identifying Homo floresiensis hominid bones.
Megapodius rokusi represents the first fossil discovery of a megapode on Wallacea, with evidence showing these birds inhabited Flores Island at least 120,000 years ago. Megapodes are known for their unique egg incubation method: burying eggs in the ground and relying on environmental heat rather than body warmth. Today, these birds are found east of Wallace’s Line, inhabiting regions such as:
- The Philippines
- Eastern Indonesia
- Melanesia
- Australia
They are notably absent from mainland Southeast Asia and the Greater Sunda Islands.
In comparison, the modern species Megapodius reinwardt weighs between 0.5 and 1.2 kilograms, significantly lighter than M. rokusi. Megapode eggs contain a yolk that makes up roughly 50 to 60% of the egg’s weight and served as a nutritional resource for both Homo floresiensis and modern humans before and after 50,000 years ago.
Scientists have yet to determine if Megapodius rokusi was capable of flight or pinpoint the exact time of its extinction. For context, another prehistoric bird-like creature, the fruit-eating dinosaur Infernogallus, weighed over 11 kilograms and was turkey-sized; its fossils were found in the Hell Creek Formation in North Dakota.
“Megapodes are birds that incubate their eggs by burying them, relying on environmental heat rather than body warmth. They are almost exclusively found east of Wallace’s Line, including the Philippines, eastern Indonesia, Melanesia, and Australia.”
Hanneke Meyer
This discovery sheds light on the rich evolutionary history of birds on Flores Island and their interactions with early humans.
Finding Megapodius rokusi emphasizes Flores Island’s significance in understanding bird evolution and their coexistence with ancient human species. It also enriches knowledge of the region’s biodiversity, which likely supported diverse species over millennia. Studying these evolutionary paths can provide insights into how birds adapted to changing environments. This find highlights the importance of continued archaeological excavations on Flores, which may reveal further groundbreaking discoveries.
The discovery of Megapodius rokusi on Flores Island adds to our understanding of ancient avian species, much like the recent findings surrounding the massive marsupial Pampaluctor calibar that reshapes our knowledge of prehistoric ecosystems in South America. Both discoveries highlight the diversity and complexity of extinct species, providing insights into their environments and potential interactions with early humans.