Story: Moa

Moa family groupings, 2009

For more than 150 years the number of moa species has been debated. In the early 20th century there were thought to be 38. By 2006 the number was 10, and by 2009 there were nine. This table identifies the nine species, organised by genus, subfamily and family. Those moa in the genera Anomalopteryx, Megalapteryx and Pachyornis were more closely related to each other than to other moa. Giant Moa in the Dinornis genus were only distantly related to all other moa. The name of the scientist who first identified the species is given in brackets if the species name subsequently changed, and without brackets if there has been no change.

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How to cite this page:

Trevor H. Worthy, 'Moa - Scientific classification', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/interactive/11363/moa-family-groupings-2009 (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by Trevor H. Worthy, published 24 Sep 2007, reviewed & revised 17 Feb 2015