Casuariiformes

Casuariiformes Temporal range: Miocene–present PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N Miocene to present
Southern cassowary.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Infraclass:	Palaeognathae
Clade:	Notopalaeognathae
Clade:	Novaeratitae
Order:	Casuariiformes Sclater 1880
Families
Casuariidae Dromaiidae
Diversity
2 Family, 3 Genera (including 1 extinct), 10 Species (including 6 extinct)

The bird order Casuariiformes has four surviving members: the three species of cassowary, and the only remaining species of emu. The emus are classified in the family, Dromaiidae, while the cassowaries are all located within the Casuariidae family.

All four members of the order are very large flightless birds native to Australia-New Guinea. The characteristics of the family are those of its members.

Systematics and evolution

Emu.

The emus form a distinct family, characterized by legs adapted for running. As with all ratites, there are several contested theories concerning their evolution and relationships. As regards this order, it is especially interesting whether emus or cassowaries are the more primitive form: the latter are generally assumed to retain more plesiomorphic features, but this does not need to be true at all; the fossil record is also ambiguous, and the present state of genomics does not allow for sufficiently comprehensive analyses. A combination of all these approaches with considerations of plate tectonics at least is necessary for resolving this issue.

The total number of cassowary species described, based on minor differences in casque shape and color variations, formerly reached nine. Now, however, only 3 species are recognized, and most authorities only acknowledge few subspecies or none at all.

The fossil record of casuariforms is interesting, but not very extensive. Regarding fossil species of Dromaius and Casuarius, see their genus pages.

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. In addition, the first fossils of mihirungs were initially believed to be from giant emus, but these birds were completely unrelated.

Taxonomy

Casuariiformes Forbes 1884

• Casuariidae – emus and cassowaries
  • †Emuarius Boles 1992 (emuwaries) (Late Oligocene – Late Miocene)
    • †E. gidju (Patterson & Rich 1987) Boles 1992 [Dromaius gidju Patterson & Rich 1987]
    • †E. guljaruba Boles 2001
  • Casuarius [Cela Oken 1816; Cela Moehr 1752 nomen rejectum; Rhea Lacépède 1800 non Latham 1790; Chelarga Billberg 1828; Oxyporus Brookes 1828; Thrasys Billberg 1828; Cassowara Perry 1811; Hippalectryo Gloger 1842] (cassowary)
    • †C. lydekkeri Rothschild 1911 (Pygmy cassowary)
    • C. casuarius (Linnaeus 1758) Brisson 1760 [Casuarius casuarius altijugus (Sclater 1878); Casuarius casuarius aruensis (Schlegel 1866); Casuarius casuarius beccarii (Sclater 1875); Casuarius casuarius casuarius (Linnaeus 1758); Casuarius casuarius chimaera (Rothschild 1904); Casuarius casuarius grandis (Rothschild 1937); Casuarius casuarius bicarunculatus (Sclater 1860); Casuarius casuarius bistriatus (Oort 1907); Casuarius casuarius intensus (Rothschild 1898); Casuarius casuarius intermedius (Rothschild 1928); Casuarius casuarius tricarunculatus (Beccari 1876); Casuarius casuarius lateralis (Linnaeus 1758); Casuarius casuarius salvadorii (Oustalet 1878); Casuarius casuarius sclaterii (Salvadori 1878); Casuarius casuarius violicollis (Rothschild 1899); Casuarius casuarius johnsonii Müller 1866; Casuarius johnsonii Müller 1866; Casuarius australis Wall 1854; Casuarius bicarunculatus intermedius; Casuarius bicarunculatus tricarunculatus; Casuarius casuarius hamiltoni Mathews 1915; Struthio casuarius Linnaeus 1758; Cassowara eximia Perry 1811; Hippalectryo indicus Gloger 1842] (Southern Cassowary)
    • C. unappendiculatus Blyth 1860 [Casuarius unappendiculatus doggetti (Rothschild 1904); Casuarius unappendiculatus hagenbecki (Rothschild 1904); Casuarius unappendiculatus jamrachi (Rothschild 1904); Casuarius unappendiculatus mitratus (Rothschild 1904); Casuarius unappendiculatus multicolor (Le Souef 1930); Casuarius unappendiculatus suffusus (Rothschild 1904); Casuarius unappendiculatus rothschildi (Matschie 1901); Casuarius unappendiculatus philipi (Rothschild 1898); Casuarius unappendiculatus unappendiculatus; Casuarius unappendiculatus occipitalis (Salvadori 1878); Casuarius unappendiculatus rufotinctus (Rothschild 1900); Casuarius unappendiculatus aurentiacus (Rothschild 1899)] (Northern Cassowary)
    • C. bennetti Gould 1857 [Casuarius bennetti foersteri (Rothschild 1913); Casuarius bennetti kaupi (Sharpe 1881); Casuarius bennetti maculatus (Rothschild 1900); Casuarius bennetti keysseri (Rothschild 1912)] (Dwarf Cassowary)
      • C. b. westermanni (Sclater 1874) [Casuarius papuanus (Schlegel 1873); Casuarius bennetti goodfellowi; Casuarius papuanus goodfellowi; Casuarius papuanus shawmayeri; Casuarius bennetti shawmayeri; Casuarius picticollis hecki; Casuarius bennetti hecki (Rothschild 1899); Casuarius bennetti papuanus (Schlegel 1871)]
      • C. b. bennetti Gould 1857 [Casuarius bennetti edwardsi (Oustalet 1878); Casuarius bennetti claudii (Ogilvie-Grant 1911); Casuarius bennetti picticollis (Sclater 1874); Casuarius bennetti roseigularis (Rothschild 1905); Casuarius bennetti loriae (Rothschild 1898)]
• Dromaiidae - modern emus
  • Dromaius Vieillot 1816 [Tachea Fleming 1822; Emou Griffith & Pidgeon 1829; Peronista Mathews 1912] (emus) (Middle Miocene – Recent)
    • †D. ocypus (Miller 1963) [Casuarius ocypus Miller 1963]
    • D. novaehollandiae (Latham 1790) Vieillot 1816 [Dromaius gracilipes De Vis 1892; Dromaius patricius De Vris 1888; Metapteryx bifrons De Vis 1892] (emu)
      • †D. n. minor Spencer 1906 [Dromaeus minor (sic) Spencer 1906; Dromaius novaehollandiae ater Vieillot 1817; Dromiceius spenceri (sic) Mathews 1912; Dromaeus bassi Legge 1907; Dromaius ater Vieillot 1817 nomen novum] (King Island/black emu)
      • †D. n. baudinianus Parker 1984 [Dromaius baudinianus Parker 1984; Dromaius baudinianus baudinianus; Dromaius parvulus Mathews 1901; Dromaius peroni Rothschild 1907; Dromiceius novaehollandiae gunni Mathews 1922; Peronista peroni Mathews 1913] (Kangaroo Island emu)
      • †D. n. diemenensis (Jennings 1827) Le Souef 1907 [Casuarius diemenianus Jennings 1827; Dromaeus diemenensis Le Souëf 1907; Peronista diemenianus Mathews 1927] (Tasmanian emu)
      • D. n. novaehollandiae (Latham 1790) [Dromaius novaehollandiae rothschildi Mathews 1912; Casuarius australis Shaw 1792; Casuarius novaehollandiae Latham 1790; Dromaeus irroratus Bartlett 1859; Dromaius novaehollandiae montanus Campbell 1939; Dromaius novaehollandiae woodwardi Mathews 1912; Dromiceius emu Stephens 1826; Dromiceius major Brookes 1830]