Family Rheidae (Noun)
Meaning
A family of birds coextensive with the order Rheiformes.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The family Rheidae is a group of large, flightless birds that includes rheas and emus' distant relatives.
- Members of the family Rheidae have powerful legs, long necks, and small wings that make them appear almost wingless.
- Historically, the family Rheidae has been associated with ratites, but its classification is still subject to ongoing debate among taxonomists.
- Research into the family Rheidae suggests that its ancestors likely diverged from those of other flightless birds during the Paleocene epoch.
- Today, the family Rheidae is limited to South America, with only two living species: the greater rhea and the lesser rhea.