Mangaia Swiftlet
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| Mangaia Swiftlet | ||||||||||||||
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| Aerodramus manuoi |
The Mangaia Swiftlet (Aerodramusa manuoi) is a recently extinct species of bird in the swift] family. It was endemic to Mangaia, Cook Islands.
This species was closely allied with the extant Atiu Swiftlet (Aerodramus sawtelli) of 'Atiu, Mangaia's neighbouring island. The Mangaia Swiftlet was probably slightly larger. [1].
This species is described from six fossils recovered from a Holocene rockshelter deposit on Mangaia. The coracoid and carpometacarpus of the new species, are larger and very different qualitatively from those of the Atiu species. [2]
This is the first species of Aerodramus to be described from fossils.
