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THE WILSON JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY • Vol. 123, No. 4. December 2011 
TABLE 2. Comparative skeletal measurements of three species of Gallirallus. Those for the three existing complete 
skeletons of G. wakensis are given individually, the first 2 being males and the last a female. In the other columns the range 
is given followed by the mean in parentheses. The series of O', philippensis consisted of 1 male. 2 females, and 2 unsexed 
specimens from Australia. New Caledonia. Halmahera. Philippines, and Palau (/» = 5 unless otherwise indicated). The 
series of G. owstoni consisted of six males and two females, all wild-taken {n = 8 unless otherwise indicated). 
Measurements in boldface are greatly augmented (Table 4). 
Measurement 
G. mtkensis 
G. philippensis 
G. omUchu 
Skull total length 
53.9, 53.1. 48.4 
55.6-65.1 (61.3)* 
65.1-72.5 (68.9)** 
Cranium length" 
26.3. 26.5. 24.9 
29.8-32.7 (31.2)* 
31.4-34.2 (32.8)** 
Cranium width b 
17.6, 17.8, 17.0 
19.1-20.5 (19.7)* 
19.1-20.4 (19.8)** 
Mandible length" 
43.5, 43.6, 37.8 
42.4-52.0 (48.3)* 
52.8-60.4 (55.9) 
Coracoid length' 1 
17.3, 17.4, 16.2 
23.3-25.8 (24.4) 
21.7-22.5 (22.1) 
Sternum length" 
26.4, 27.2, 23.0 
38.5-42.1 (40.3)* 
31.1-37.2 (34.9) 
Sternum depth' 
7.2, 7.7, 6.5 
14.7-16.6 (15.3)* 
10.0-11.4 (10.5) 
Pelvis length* 
31.5, 31.9, 25.8 
37.1-41.0 (38.7)* 
36.2-41.3 (39.3)** 
Pelvis width 11 
17.2, 17.4, 16.5 
18.3-20.4 (19.0)* 
19.5-22.0 (20.9) 
Humerus length 
33.3, 33.7, 38.0 
45.4-49.5 (47.3) 
41.4-44.8 (42.6) 
Ulna length 
27.5. 28.5, 25.1 
38.5-43.3 (40.6) 
33.8-36.1 (35.0) 
Carpometacarpus length 
18.6, 19.2, 16.4 
25.3-29.6 (26.7) 
21.4-23.6 (22.6) 
Femur length 
37.8, 38.7, 36.7 
46.2-48.7 (47.6)* 
50.4-54.1 (52.1) 
Tibiotarsus length' 
56.9, 56.3, 53.7 
63.4-69.5 (66.2) 
69.2-77.0 (72.4) 
Tarsometatarsus length 
35.8, 36.7, 33.2 
40.3-45.3 (43.0)* 
46.7-50.6 (48.9) 
'' From naso-frantal hinge. 
Through post orbital processes. 
c Including rctroarticular processes. 
Greatest length measured diagonally front head to external sternal angle. 
r Along midline but not including manubriul spine when present to posterior extent of ossification. 
Through the manubrium to the tip of the carinu. 
* Midline of ventral surface of synsacrutu, 
. Through antitrochanrcrs. 
From proximal articular surface, not including cnemial crests. 
1996:105). The hindlimb elements of the Wake 
Island Rail, as typical of most flightless rails, are 
more robust than in comparable volant species 
(Fig. 5). 
Weight and Brain Volume .—No direct mea¬ 
surements of the weight of G. wakensis appear to 
have been taken prior to its extinction. Livezey 
(2003:98) extrapolated a weight of 113 g from 
TABLE 3. Length measurements (mm) from skins of species of Gallirallus in L'SNM collections. The series of G. 
philippensis includes lour males and lour females from the Philippines, three males and five females from Celebes, and four 
males and four females from Palau. The specimens of G. owstoni were all wild-taken. Range with mean in parentheses ± 
standard deviation. 
Species 
Wing chord 
Culmen 
Tarsus Middle toe with claw 
G. wakensis Males 
G. wakensis Females 
G. philippensis Males 
G. philippensis Females 
G. owstoni Males 
G. owstoni Females 
80.1-97.4 
(91.1 ± 4.77) 
n = 16 
75.8-93,8 
(87.7 ± 5.07) 
n = 15 
129-144 (136.3) 
n = 11 
125-140 (131.3) 
n = 12 
124-126 (125) 
n = 2 
110-115 (112.2) 
n = 5 
24.9-29.4 
(27.2 ± 1.26) 
n = 27 
22.7-25.4 
(24.2 ± 0.9) 
n = 16 
26.5- 34.4 (30.5) 
n = 12 
27.5- 31.5 (28.8) 
n = 11 
34.1-41.9 (38.9) 
n = 5 
33.4-35.1 (34.1) 
n = 4 
33.0-36.9 
(34.8 ± 0.97) 
n = 28 
32.2-34.9 
(33.2 ± 0.64) 
;t = 16 
40.5-44.9 (43.3) 
n = 12 
39.0-43.7 (42.1) 
n = 12 
46.7-53.2 (51.0) 
n = 5 
46.2-49.4 (47.5) 
n = 5 
36.7-40.9 
(38.6 ± 0.96) 
n = 26 
35.1-41.1 
(36.8 ± 0.68) 
n = 16 
40.5-45.6 (42.9) 
n = 12 
37.1- 44.2 (43.4) 
n = 12 
43.1- 50.3 (47.5) 
n = 5 
44.1- 46.1 (45.1) 
n = 2 
