COLUMBIDAE ILLIGER, 1811

FAMILY COLUMBIDAE ILLIGER, 1811 View in CoL View at ENA

Remarks: The columbid bones in the Vava'u assemblages can be separated into three broad size classes: small taxa ( Ptilinopus and Gallicolumba ), medium-sized taxa [ Ducula pacifica ( Gmelin, 1789) and Di.placopedetes ] and large taxa ( Caloenas sp. and a large species of Ducula ). For columbids, the coracoid and tarsometatarsus are the most diagnostic elements ( Worthy, 2012; Worthy et al., 2015; Rigal et al., 2018) and, fortunately, are well represented in these samples. Diagnostic characters for columbid bones are presented at length by Rigal et al. (2018), Worthy (2012), Worthy & Wragg (2003, 2008, Wragg & Worthy (2006), Worthy et al. (2015).