Pleistocene Giant Megapode Unearthed in Flores Cave Linked to Homo floresiensis
Researchers have identified a new extinct bird species, Megapodius rokusi, from a leg bone fragment found in Liang Bua cave on Flores, Indonesia. Weighing approximately 3.9 kg, this ancient megapode was significantly larger than the current orange-footed megapode, which ranges from 0.5 to 1.2 kg. The fossil dates to between 190,000 and 120,000 years ago, coinciding with the presence of Homo floresiensis. This discovery marks the first fossil megapode described from the Wallacea region and the first species named after an Indonesian researcher, honoring zooarchaeologist Rokus Due Awe. The study suggests the large bird may have gone extinct before the smaller species arrived, though its flight capability remains unknown due to the absence of wing bones.