Ratite
superorder of birds / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The ratites are a group of medium to large birds, most of which are flightless. Most of them, including the largest (moas and elephant birds) are now extinct.
Quick Facts Ratites, Scientific classification ...
Ratites | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | |
Phylum: | |
Class: | |
Superorder: | |
Order: | Struthioniformes* Latham, 1790 |
Families | |
Struthionidae (ostriches) |
Close
Unlike other flightless birds, the ratites have no keel on their sternum. In a flying bird the sternum anchors the wing muscles.
Most parts of the former super-continent Gondwana have ratites,[1] or did have until the fairly recent past. Their closest living relatives are the tinamous of South America.[2][3]
The classification used here includes all ratites in the order Struthioniformes, but not the tinamous. This may change in future.