Infraclass - Palaeognathae

Class: Aves

Infraclass: Palaeognathae

Common name: Ratites

Name derivation: "old jaw"

  • Order: Apterygiformes (5 species - kiwis)
  • Order: Casuariiformes (4 species - cassowaries, emu)
  • Order: Rheiformes (2 species - rheas)
  • Order: Struthioniformes (2 species - ostrich)
  • Order: Tinamiformes (46 species - tinamous)

Family Count: 5

Genus Count: 14

Species Count: 59

Earliest Fossil Record:  Cenozoic 66 mya

Habitat: Terrestrial

Size Range: 15 cm to 2.7 m

Notes: Taxonomy according to the International Ornithological Congress World Bird List Version 14.1

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