The moa (Dinornithiformes) are large to gigantic extinct terrestrial birds of New Zealand. Knowledge about niche partitioning, feeding mode and preference among moa species is limited, hampering palaeoecological reconstruction and evaluation of the impacts of their extinction on remnant native biota, or the viability of exotic species as proposed ecological ‘surrogates'. Here we apply three-dimensional finite-element analysis to compare the biomechanical performance of skulls from five of the six moa genera, and two extant ratites, to predict the range of moa feeding behaviours relative to each other and to living relatives. Mechanical performance during biting was compared using simulations of the birds clipping twigs based on muscle reconstruction of mummified moa remains. Other simulated food acquisition strategies included lateral shaking, pullback and dorsoventral movement of the skull. We found evidence for limited overlap in biomechanical performance between the extant emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) and extinct upland moa (Megalapteryx didinus) based on similarities in mandibular stress distribution in two loading cases, but overall our findings suggest that moa species exploited their habitats in different ways, relative to both each other and extant ratites. The broad range of feeding strategies used by moa, as inferred from interspecific differences in biomechanical performance of the skull, provides insight into mechanisms that facilitated high diversities of these avian herbivores in prehistoric New Zealand.
Virtual 3D PDF of emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) skull
This zip file contains a virtual 3D skull (based on surface mesh of finite element model) of the emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) specimen SAM B6863 analysed in the paper. This file is in PDF format (.pdf) and can be viewed for free using the most recent version of adobe reader. Additional formats are available upon request to the author.
Dromaius novaehollandiae_SAM B6863_skull 3D PDF.zip
Virtual 3D PDF of southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) skull
This zip file contains a virtual 3D skull (based on surface mesh of finite element model) of the southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) specimen CMAv14294 analysed in the paper. This file is in PDF format (.pdf) and can be viewed for free using the most recent version of adobe reader. Additional formats are available upon request to the author.
Casuarius casuarius_CMAv14294_skull 3D PDF.zip
Virtual 3D PDF of coastal moa (Euryapteryx curtus) skull
This zip file contains a virtual 3D skull (based on surface mesh of finite element model) of the coastal moa (Euryapteryx curtus) specimen NMNZ S30212 analysed in the paper. This file is in PDF format (.pdf) and can be viewed for free using the most recent version of adobe reader. Additional formats are available upon request to the author.
Euryapteryx curtus_NMNZ S30212_skull 3D PDF.zip
Virtual 3D PDF of crested moa (Pachyornis australis) skull
This zip file contains a virtual 3D skull (based on surface mesh of finite element model) of the crested moa (Pachyornis australis) specimen NMNZ S27896 analysed in the paper. This file is in PDF format (.pdf) and can be viewed for free using the most recent version of adobe reader. Additional formats are available upon request to the author.
Pachyornis australis_NMNZ S27896_skull 3D PDF.zip
Virtual 3D PDF South Island giant moa (Dinornis robustus) skull
This zip file contains a virtual 3D skull (based on surface mesh of finite element model) of the South Island giant moa (Dinornis robustus) specimen NMNZ S28225 analysed in the paper. This file is in PDF format (.pdf) and can be viewed for free using the most recent version of adobe reader. Additional formats are available upon request to the author.
Dinornis robustus_NMNZ S28225_skull 3D PDF.zip
Virtual 3D PDF of little bush moa (Anomalopteryx didiformis) skull
This zip file contains a virtual 3D skull (based on surface mesh of finite element model) of the little bush moa (Anomalopteryx didiformis) specimen NMNZ S35274 analysed in the paper. This file is in PDF format (.pdf) and can be viewed for free using the most recent version of adobe reader. Additional formats are available upon request to the author.
Anomalopteryx didiformis_NMNZ S35274_skull 3D PDF.zip
Virtual 3D PDF of upland moa (Megalapteryx didinus) skull
This zip file contains a virtual 3D skull (based on surface mesh of finite element model) of the upland moa (Megalapteryx didinus) specimen NMNZ S28206 analysed in the paper. This file is in PDF format (.pdf) and can be viewed for free using the most recent version of adobe reader. Additional formats are available upon request to the author.
Megalapteryx didinus_NMNZ S28206_skull 3D PDF.zip
NASTRAN file of southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) skull
This zip file contains NASTRAN files (.nas) of the final cranium and mandible volume mesh used to create the finite element model of the southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) specimen CMAv14294 analysed in the paper.
Casuarius casuarius_CMAv14294_skull_nastran.zip
NASTRAN file of emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) skull
This zip file contains NASTRAN files (.nas) of the final cranium and mandible volume mesh used to create the finite element model of the emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) specimen SAM B6863 analysed in the paper.
Dromaius novaehollandiae_SAM B6863_skull_nastran.zip
NASTRAN file of coastal moa (Euryapteryx curtus) skull
This zip file contains NASTRAN files (.nas) of the final cranium and mandible volume mesh used to create the finite element model of the coastal moa (Euryapteryx curtus) specimen NMNZ S30212 analysed in the paper.
Euryapteryx curtus_NMNZ S30212_skull_nastran.zip
NASTRAN file of crested moa (Pachyornis australis) skull
This zip file contains NASTRAN files (.nas) of the final cranium and mandible volume mesh used to create the finite element model of the crested moa (Pachyornis australis) specimen NMNZ S27896 analysed in the paper.
Pachyornis australis_NMNZ S27896_skull_nastran.zip
NASTRAN file of South Island giant moa (Dinornis robustus) skull
This zip file contains NASTRAN files (.nas) of the final cranium and mandible volume mesh used to create the finite element model of the South Island giant moa (Dinornis robustus) specimen NMNZ S28225 analysed in the paper.
Dinornis robustus_NMNZ S28225_skull_nastran.zip
NASTRAN file of little bush moa (Anomalopteryx didiformis) skull
This zip file contains NASTRAN files (.nas) of the final cranium and mandible volume mesh used to create the finite element model of the little bush moa (Anomalopteryx didiformis) specimen NMNZ S35274 analysed in the paper.
Anomalopteryx didiformis_NMNZ S35274_skull_nastran.zip
NASTRAN file of upland moa (Megalapteryx didinus) skull
This zip file contains NASTRAN files (.nas) of the final cranium and mandible volume mesh used to create the finite element model of the upland moa (Megalapteryx didinus) specimen NMNZ S28206 analysed in the paper.
Megalapteryx didinus_NMNZ S28206_skull_nastran.zip