Gracile goshawk
| Gracile goshawk | |
|---|---|
| Subfossil | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Accipitriformes |
| Family: | Accipitridae |
| Genus: | Accipiter |
| Species: | A. quartus |
| Binomial name | |
| Accipiter quartus Balouet & Olson, 1989 | |
The Gracile goshawk (Accipiter quartus) is an extinct species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It was endemic to the island of New Caledonia in Melanesia in the south-west Pacific region. It was described from subfossil bones found at the Pindai Caves paleontological site on the west coast of Grande Terre. The specific epithet comes from the Latin quartus (fourth), because it was the fourth Accipiter species recorded from New Caledonia. The gracile goshawk was smaller and much less robust than its contemporary congener the powerful goshawk, remains of which were also found at the same site.[1]
References
- ↑ Balouet, J.C.; Olson, Storrs L. (1989). "Fossil birds from Late Quaternary deposits in New Caledonia" (PDF). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 469: 7–8. doi:10.5479/si.00810282.469.
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