Aphanapteryx bonasia

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Bibliography

View Printer Friendly

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	GRUIFORMES	RALLIDAE

Scientific Name:

Aphanapteryx bonasia

Species Authority:

(Selys Longchamps, 1848)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Red Rail

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Extinct ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Bird, J., Butchart, S.

History:

2004	–	Extinct
2000	–	Extinct
1994	–	Extinct
1988	–	Extinct

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Aphanapteryx bonasia was endemic to Mauritius from where it is known from a number of travellers' accounts and illustrations¹, and from numerous bones². It was mentioned to have become rare by Leguat in 1693, and there were no further reports, so the species is likely to have become extinct around 1700¹.
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It may have inhabited the islands' forests.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	It was flightless and palatable and therefore was presumably hunted to extinction¹, although introduced cats are also likely to have taken some birds.

Major Threat(s):

It was flightless and palatable and therefore was presumably hunted to extinction¹, although introduced cats are also likely to have taken some birds.

Bibliography [top]

	Cheke, A. S. 1987. An ecological history of the Mascarene Islands, with particular reference to extinctions and introductions of land vertebrates. In: Diamond, A.W. (ed.), Studies of Mascarene island birds, pp. 5-89. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K. Cheke, A.S. 2006. Establishing extinction dates - the curious case of the Dodo Raphus cucullatus and the Red Hen Aphanapteryx bonasis. Ibis 148: 155-158. Cowles, G. S. 1987. The fossil record. In: Diamond, A.W. (ed.), Studies of Mascarene Island birds, pp. 90-100. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K. Hachisuka, M. 1953. The Dodo and kindred birds. Witherby, London.

Cheke, A. S. 1987. An ecological history of the Mascarene Islands, with particular reference to extinctions and introductions of land vertebrates. In: Diamond, A.W. (ed.), Studies of Mascarene island birds, pp. 5-89. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K.

Cheke, A.S. 2006. Establishing extinction dates - the curious case of the Dodo Raphus cucullatus and the Red Hen Aphanapteryx bonasis. Ibis 148: 155-158.

Cowles, G. S. 1987. The fossil record. In: Diamond, A.W. (ed.), Studies of Mascarene Island birds, pp. 90-100. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K.

Hachisuka, M. 1953. The Dodo and kindred birds. Witherby, London.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Aphanapteryx bonasia. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2012.
Disclaimer:	To make use of this information, please check the <Terms of Use>.
Feedback:	If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided