Talk:Moa-nalo

Untitled
Moved page here from Moa-nalos, since wikipedia prefers singular rather than pluralsSabine's Sunbird 03:00, 6 Mar 2005 (UTC)

Made the change throughout the page, as it's not correct to add an -s to Hawaiian words to make plurals anyway. Also changed the discussion of plant defenses to refer to Cyanea, as I've never heard of any ferns with prickles. KarlM 07:15, 8 April 2006 (UTC)
 * If you look at the references I listed the title of one refers to moa-nalos. I'm interested that this is incorrect. Is it true for all Polynesian words adopted into English? That would make the plural of moa, well, moa, right? Sabine's Sunbird talk 07:43, 8 April 2006 (UTC)


 * In a word, yes. One moa, several moa.  As I understand it, Polynesian words didn't use plurals but relied on modifiers like articles; in Hawaiian ka/ke = the (singular), nā = the (plural).  Of course, this becomes tricky when you're using these words in a language like English that uses a different system.  On the other hand, since nalo is an adjective it's doubly inappropriate to add an "s" to it; if anything it should be moas nalo, like attorneys general, but that sounds pretty silly. KarlM 08:11, 8 April 2006 (UTC)
 * Gotcha. So it's fowl-lost, fowls-lost. Fair enough. Learn something new every day.Sabine's Sunbird talk 08:36, 8 April 2006 (UTC)

Can anybody who knows how to do this sort of thing move the moa-nalo image from the German Wikipedia onto here, and maybe vice versa? The image from the German Wikipedia looks a little strange: it is a distorted image of a mallard, but it would be good to have multiple ideas of how these birds looked on here. It isn't particularly good, but then the images already on here scarcely are either (no offense to the creators intended–how many people have tried to reconstruct a moa-nalo?). Innotata 20:41, 21 October 2009 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Innotata (talk • contribs)

4-7.5 kg?
Is this weight range correct? Everything else on the page makes them seem much, much bigger. PenguinJockey 01:17, 16 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Comparison to regular mallard ducks: 0.7-1.6 kg. Comparison to regular geese: 3.3 kg average. Comparison to Ostrich: 60-150 kg. So yeah, they were large... for a duck. I do wish the article would give size estimates, comparisons etc. --Enyavar (talk) 09:14, 5 August 2022 (UTC)

Etymology
I assume the name would be cognate with that of the NZ moa? -- Trɔpʏliʊm • blah 14:39, 17 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Well yes, they are both derived from Polynesian. Sabine's Sunbird  talk  19:40, 17 July 2008 (UTC)
 * For "chicken"– the Polynesian breed of chicken, in case anybody seeing this cares to know Innotata 20:33, 21 October 2009 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Innotata (talk • contribs)

origins of the moa-nalo
Who says that moa-nalo are descended from the Pacific Black Duck? The only paper on their origins I've found yet says they are probably a sister group to the existing dabbling ducks (Livezey et al, cited and available on this page), and that they are likely relicts of the ducks common before the great radiations of Anas (some example taxa are given). Can somebody find some more relevant info? Meanwhile I'll look for some myself and put citation needed tags here and on moa-nalo statements elsewhere, for example Anas.--Innotata 20:54, 21 October 2009 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Innotata (talk • contribs)

Height
Can we get a height on this thing? The article repeatedly states its "large" size without quantifying it. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 108.14.110.147 (talk) 23:11, 9 December 2010 (UTC)


 * Comparison to regular mallard ducks: 0.7-1.6 kg. Comparison to regular geese: 3.3 kg average. Comparison to Ostrich: 60-150 kg. So yeah, they were large... for a duck. Seconded on the wish to get a height stated, and better yet an image comparison with a human, like we have for other dinosaurs. --Enyavar (talk) 09:14, 5 August 2022 (UTC)

Clade?
Is this a natural group? Does the clade have a name? FunkMonk (talk) 13:23, 7 November 2012 (UTC)
 * I think so: according to this study here, DNA was extracted from remains of Thambetochen and Ptaiochen, found in Maui lava tubes, they were apparently closely related to the dabbling ducks (Anas), so placing them squarely within Anatini.--Mr Fink (talk) 13:33, 7 November 2012 (UTC)
 * Weird they don't have a scientific name then... They need articles too, I've made one for the two Thambetochen species. Will add more info. FunkMonk (talk) 14:04, 7 November 2012 (UTC)
 * Well, that's just ducky.--Mr Fink (talk) 14:25, 7 November 2012 (UTC)