The bird family Casuariidae has four surviving members: the three species of cassowary and the emu.
All living members of the family are very large flightless birds native to Australia-New Guinea.
Species
- † Emuarius <small>Boles, 1992</small> (emuwaries) (Late Oligocene – Late Miocene)
- † E. gidju <small>(Patterson & Rich 1987) Boles, 1992</small>
- † E. guljaruba <small>Boles, 2001</small>
- Casuarius <small>Brisson, 1760</small> (cassowary)
- † C. lydekkeri <small>Rothschild, 1911</small> (Pygmy cassowary)
- C. casuarius <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small> (Southern cassowary)
- C. unappendiculatus <small>Blyth, 1860</small> (Northern cassowary)
- C. bennetti <small>Gould, 1857</small> (Dwarf Cassowary)
- C. b. westermanni <small>(Sclater, 1874)</small> (Papuan dwarf cassowary)
- C. b. bennetti <small>Gould, 1857</small> (Bennett's cassowary)
- Dromaius <small>Vieillot, 1816</small> (emu)
- †D. arleyekweke <small>Yates & Worthy 2019</small>
- †D. ocypus <small>Miller 1963</small>
- D. novaehollandiae <small>(Latham, 1790)</small> (Emu)
- †D. n. diemenensis <small>Le Souef, 1907</small> (Tasmanian emu)
- †D. n. minor <small>Spencer, 1906</small> (King Island emu)
- †D. n. baudinianus <small>Parker, SA, 1984</small> (Kangaroo Island emu)
- D. n. novaehollandiae <small>(Latham, 1790)</small> (Emu)
Systematics and evolution
Some Australian fossils initially believed to be from emus were recognized to represent a distinct genus, Emuarius, which had a cassowary-like skull and femur and an emu-like lower leg and foot.
Footnotes
References
- Boles, Walter E. (2001): A new emu (Dromaiinae) from the Late Oligocene Etadunna Formation. Emu 101: 317–321. HTML abstract
- Folch, A. (1992). Family Casuariidae (Cassowaries). pp. 90– 97 in; del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Sargatal, J. eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol 1, Ostrich to Ducks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.