Dromaius novaehollandiae: BirdLife International

Pilaira australis, a new species of fungus in the coprophilous genus Pilaira, was isolated from emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) faeces and is described. Morphologically, the species resembles other species in the genus, particularly P. moreaui, except differs in its unique combination of sporangiophore height and sporangiospore length. Molecular phylogenetic analysis indicates that P. australis is distinct from other species in the genus with two regions, the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and a fragment of the pyrG gene, showing 91% and 90% identity to the nearest species, respectively. Ultrastructure features and carbon utilisation were determined for P. australis, and may provide characteristics for species identification in this genus.

Download Full-text

Tuberculosis in Commercial Emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae)

Avian Diseases ◽

10.2307/1591933 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 37 (4) ◽

pp. 1172 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

S. M. Shane ◽

A. Camus ◽

M. G. Strain ◽

Charles O. Thoen ◽

T. N. Tully

Keyword(s):

Dromaius Novaehollandiae

Download Full-text

Eggs of extinct dwarf island emus retained large size

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2021.0012 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 (5) ◽

pp. 20210012

Author(s):

Julian P. Hume ◽

Christian Robertson

Keyword(s):

Detailed Analysis ◽

Life Histories ◽

First Record ◽

Museum Specimens ◽

Linear Measurements ◽

Large Size ◽

Dromaius Novaehollandiae

Islands off southern Australia once harboured three subspecies of the mainland emu ( Dromaius novaehollandiae ), the smaller Tasmanian emu ( D. n. diemenensis ) and two dwarf emus, King Island emu ( D. n. minor ) and Kangaroo Island emu ( D. n. baudinianus ), which all became extinct rapidly after discovery by human settlers. Little was recorded about their life histories and only a few historical museum specimens exist, including a number of complete eggs from Tasmania and a unique egg from Kangaroo Island. Here, we present a detailed analysis of eggs of dwarf emus, including the first record of an almost complete specimen from King Island. Our results show that despite the reduction in size of all island emus, especially the King Island emu that averaged 44% smaller than mainland birds, the egg remained similar sized in linear measurements, but less in volume and mass, and seemingly had a slightly thinner eggshell. We provide possible reasons why these phenomena occurred.

Download Full-text

Ontogenetic scaling patterns and functional anatomy of the pelvic limb musculature in emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae)

10.7287/peerj.preprints.508v2 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Luis P Lamas ◽

Russell P Main ◽

John R. Hutchinson

Keyword(s):

Body Mass ◽

Functional Anatomy ◽

Major Axis ◽

Cross Sectional Area ◽

Sectional Area ◽

Fascicle Length ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Positive Allometry ◽

Dromaius Novaehollandiae ◽

Pelvic Limb

Emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae) are exclusively terrestrial, bipedal and cursorial ratites with some similar biomechanical characteristics to humans. Their growth rates are impressive as their body mass increases eighty-fold from hatching to adulthood whilst maintaining the same mode of locomotion throughout life. These ontogenetic characteristics stimulate biomechanical questions about the strategies that allow emus to cope with their rapid growth and locomotion, which can be partly addressed via scaling (allometric) analysis of morphology. In this study we have collected pelvic limb anatomical data (muscle architecture, tendon length, tendon mass and bone lengths) and calculated muscle physiological cross sectional area (PCSA) and average tendon cross sectional area from emus across three ontogenetic stages (n=17, body masses from 3.6 to 42 kg). The data were analysed by reduced major axis regression to determine how these biomechanically relevant aspects of morphology scaled with body mass. Muscle mass and PCSA showed a marked trend towards positive allometry (26 and 27 out of 34 muscles respectively) and fascicle length showed a more mixed scaling pattern. The long tendons of the main digital flexors scaled with positive allometry for all characteristics whilst other tendons demonstrated a less clear scaling pattern. Finally, the two longer bones of the limb (tibiotarsus and tarsometatarsus) also exhibited positive allometry for length and the two others (femur and first phalanx of digit III) had trends towards isometry. These results indicate that emus experience a relative increase in their muscle force-generating capacities, as well as potentially increasing the force-sustaining capacities of their tendons, as they grow. Furthermore, we have clarified anatomical descriptions and provided illustrations of the pelvic limb muscle-tendon units in emus.

Download Full-text