The dodo was not so slim: leg dimensions and scaling to body mass

摘要

Recently Angst et al. (2011) proposed a new mean body mass estimate for the dodo (Raphus cucullatus), of Mauritius Island, 10.2 kg, which is at the lower end of previous estimated intervals such as Kitchener's (1993). We question both their methods and results and propose a revised estimated interval. Angst et al. (2011) used the lengths of the hindlimb three long bones and regression equations, based on a sample of living birds, between these lengths and body mass (Zeffer et al. 2003). But contra Angst et al. (2011), tibiotarsus and tarsometatarsus lengths cannot be used to estimate body mass.