Family Aepyornidae (Noun)
Meaning
Coextensive with the order Aepyorniformes.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The family Aepyornidae consists of several large ratite species native to the island of Madagascar.
- Aepyornithidae and Aepyornis were placed in the family Aepyornidae as they are also members of Aepyorniformes.
- Eggshells from the family Aepyornidae found in Madagascar indicated the presence of these now extinct birds in the past.
- Abundant fossils of giant ratites from the family Aepyornidae suggest that Madagascar may have been the only region to host them.
- Ornithologists often focus on the Aepyorniformes superfamily, which essentially encompasses a single family, Aepyornidae, containing all the giant elephant birds.