Diatryma

Diatryma

 extinct, giant flightless bird found as fossils in Early Eocene rocks in North America and Europe (the Eocene Epoch lasted from 57.8 to 36.6 million years ago). Diatryma grew to a height of about 2 1/4 metres (7 feet). Its small wings were not used for flight, but its legs were massively constructed; Diatryma was probably a strong and rapid runner. The head was large and supported a powerful beak; Diatryma was an active predator, probably feeding on the small mammals.

      In South America a similarly adapted group is characterized by the unrelated genus Phorusrhacos, common during the Miocene Epoch (between 7,000,000 and 26,000,000 years ago). It was about 1 1/2 metres (5 feet) in height and also had weakly developed wings, strong legs, a large head, and a powerful beak.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Diatryma — Di a*try ma, n. [NL., from Gr. dia through + ? hole.] (Paleon.) An extinct eocene bird from New Mexico, larger than the ostrich …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Diatryma —   [griechisch], Gattung ausgestorbener, bis über 2 m hoher, flugunfähiger, räuberischer Riesenvögel aus dem Eozän Nordamerikas, West und Mitteleuropas; gewaltiger Schädel mit einem bis 45 cm langen Schnabel; die kräftigen Laufbeine trugen vier… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Diatryma — Gastornis Gastornis …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Diatryma — Gastornis Skelettrekonstruktion von Gastornis Zeitraum Paläozän bis Eozän 65 bis 50 Mio. Jahre Fossilfundorte Europa Nordamerika) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Diatryma — …   Википедия

  • diatryma — noun A big beaked prehistoric bird in the genus which is larger than the ostrich. They supposedly died out 15 to 25 million years ago due to a vast climate change …   Wiktionary

  • Diatryma — Dia|try|ma* der; s, s <zu ↑dia... u. gr. trýmē »Loch«> ausgestorbener, bis 2 m hoher flugunfähiger Riesenvogel aus dem ↑Eozän …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • diatryma — di·a·try·ma …   English syllables

  • diatryma — ˌdīə.ˈtrīmə noun Usage: capitalized Etymology: New Latin, from dia + Greek tryma, trymē hole : a genus of large flightless Eocene birds from Wyoming and New Mexico having much reduced wings, large head and powerful beak, and long massive legs and …   Useful english dictionary

  • Диатрима — (Diatryma)         ископаемая птица отряда Diatrimae. Бегающая птица (высота около 2 м), напоминавшая страуса. Крылья редуцированы, ноги сильные четырёхпалые; шея относительно короткая, голова крупная, клюв большой, массивный. Была страшным… …   Большая советская энциклопедия

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