New Caledonian ground dove


The New Caledonian ground dove is a large, extinct species of Alopecoenas ground dove in the pigeon family, and the largest member of its genus. It was endemic to the island of New Caledonia in Melanesia in the south-west Pacific region. It was described from subfossil bones found at the Pindai Caves paleontological site on the west coast of Grande Terre. The specific epithet refers to the slender and elongated tarsometatarsus, or lower leg bone, of the species.