Giant malleefowl

Progura is an extinct genus of megapode that was native to Australia. It was described from Plio-Pleistocene deposits at the Darling Downs and Chinchilla in south-east Queensland by Charles De Vis.

Progura Temporal range: Pliocene–Pleistocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Fossil remains from the Naracoote Caves
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Galliformes
Family:	Megapodidae
Genus:	†Progura (De Vis, 1888)
Species
† P. gallinacea † P. campestris

Taxonomy

Eggshell

Comparison of Australian megapodes showed that Progura was closely related to the living malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata), though the fossil species L. gallinacea was considerably larger than the living one. A second species, P. naracoortensis, was described in 1974 by van Tets from deposits in the Naracoorte Caves of south-eastern South Australia with differing size and leg proportions. It was formerly considered a synonym of L. gallinacea, on the grounds of sexual dimorphism.[1] However in a 2017 review of Cenozoic megapodes, P. naracoortensis was found to be distinct from P. gallinacea and therefore reassigned to the genus Latagallina [2] In the 2017 review, a new species, Progura campestris was created for Pleistocene material from the Nullarbor Plain.

Description

Its weight was estimated by van Tets to vary from 4–7 kg (8-15 lb). The proportions of the long bones were similar to, though larger and more robust than, those of the malleefowl, and it had a relatively broader bill, head and body. The deep keel on the sternum indicates that it was capable of flight.[3]

Eggs

Eggs previously assigned to Genyornis are now considered to have belonged to the giant malleefowl.[4] Therefore, data on dromornithid diet and chronology can actually be ascribed to this bird, instead.[5] It is believed that P. gallinacea buried its eggs in warm sand or soil.[6]

References

1. Boles, W.E. (2008). "Systematics of the fossil Australian giant megapodes Progura (Aves: Megapodiidae)". Oryctos. 7: 195–295.
2. Elen shute; Gavin J.Prideaux; Trevor H.Worthy (2017). "Taxonomic review of the late Cenozoic megapodes (Galliformes: Megapodiidae) of Australia". Royal Society Opening Science.
3. Rich, P.V.; van Tets, G.F.; Knight, F., eds. (1985). Kadimakara: Extinct Vertebrates of Australia. Melbourne: Pioneer Design Studio. pp. 195–199. ISBN 0-909674-26-4.
4. Grellet-Tinner, Gerald; Spooner, Nigel A.; Worthy, Trevor H. (February 2016). "Is the Genyornis egg of a mihirung or another extinct bird from the Australian dreamtime?". Quaternary Science Reviews. 133: 147–164. doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2015.12.011. hdl:2328/35952.
5. A case of mistaken identity for Australia’s extinct big bird
6. "Ancient bird like 'a kangaroo-sized flying turkey'". BBC News. 2017-06-14. Retrieved 2017-06-15.

Further reading

• Dekker, René W. R. J. (2007). "Distribution and Speciation of Megapodes (Megapodiidae) and Subsequent Development of their Breeding". Topics in Geobiology. 29: 93–102. doi:10.1007/978-1-4020-6374-9_3. ISSN 0275-0120.
• Worthy, T. H. (2000). "The fossil megapodes (Aves: Megapodiidae) of Fiji with descriptions of a new genus and two new species". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 30 (4): 337–364. doi:10.1080/03014223.2000.9517627. ISSN 0303-6758.