Heavy-footed moa
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| P. elephantopus skeleton photographed by Roger Fenton
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain:
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Eukaryota
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| Kingdom:
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Animalia
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| Phylum:
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Chordata
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| Class:
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Aves
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| Infraclass:
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Palaeognathae
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| Order:
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†Dinornithiformes
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| Family:
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†Emeidae
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| Genus:
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†Pachyornis
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| Species:
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†P. elephantopus
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| Binomial name
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Pachyornis elephantopus
( Owen, 1856) Lydekker 1891 non Cracraft 1976 [1][2] |
| Synonyms
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- Dinornis elephantopus Owen, 1856
- Euryapteryx elephantopus (Owen 1856) Hutton 1892
- Dinornis queenslandiae De Vis, 1884
- Pachyornis queenslandiae (De Vis 1884) Oliver 1949
- Dromiceius queenslandiae (De Vis 1884) Miller 1963
- Euryapteryx ponderosus Hutton, 1891 non Hamilton 1898
- Pachyornis immanus Lydekker, 1891
- Euryapteryx immanis (Lydekker 1891) Lambrecht 1933
- Pachyornis inhabilis Hutton, 1893
- Pachyornis major Hutton, 1875
- Pachyornis rothschildi Lydekker, 1892
- Pachyornis valgus Hutton, 1893
- Euryapteryx crassa Benham 1910 non (Owen 1846) Hutton 1896
- Pachyornis murihiku Oliver 1949
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The Heavy-footed moa (Pachyornis elephantopus) was a type of moa. It only lived in New Zealand. It could not fly.[3]
Description
The heavy-footed moa was about 1.8 m (5.9 ft) tall. It weighed 145 kg (320 lb).[4]
Discovery
The heavy-footed moa was discovered by W.B.D. Mantell at Awamoa, near Oamaru.[4]
Distribution and Habitat
The heavy-footed moa only lived in the South Island of New Zealand.[5][4] They lived in dry and open habitats such as grasslands, shrublands and dry forests.
Diet
The heavy-footed moa is a herbivore like other types of moa. It eats tough plants. Its only predator was the Haast's eagle.
References
