Kingdom Animalia The Pendulous Pouch FACTS FOR THE TEACHER Phylum Chordata In the lower part of the trachea, just before the thoracic inlet, is a segment of Subphylum Vertebrata trachea comprised of 7 to 12 incomplete rings that form a tracheal diverticulum or Class Aves open cleft. A very thin membrane covers this cleft. During breeding season this Order Struthioniformes membrane enlarges, creating a pendulous pouch. This pouch is easy to see in Family Dromaiidae (emu) females during their first three years of Genus Dromaius (emu) breeding, but in subsequent years does not enlarge as much. Males also have Species this cleft, but the membrane does not enlarge as much. This cleft is the source Dromaius baudinianus (extinct) of the booming and grunting. Dromaius ater (extinct) Dromaius ocypus (extinct) Dromaius novaehollandiae Sub-species D. novaehollandiae novaehollandiae D. novaehollandiae woodwardi D. novaehollandiae rothschildi From the ©American Emu Association All Rights Reserved D. novaehollandiae diemenensis American Emu Association (extinct) P.O. Box 224 Sixes, OR 97476 (541) 332-0675 (Pacific Time) About Fax (928) 962-9430 http://www.aea-emu.org Dromaius novaehollandiae Fax (123) 456-7890 Dromaius novaehollandiae D. novaehollandiae woodwardi – These three sub-species are interbreeding in both Australia and the United States. On maturity and A large cursorial bird, Dromaius during breeding novaehollandiae originated in Australia Extinct Species of Dromaius season these birds but is raised on farms throughout the have a ruff or bib United States for it’s lean red meat and There are four other known species/sub- of feathers starting food by-products such as fat, hide and species of Dromaius that are now extinct. a few inches below feathers. Dromaius novaehollandiae the head. This ruff actually consists of three subspecies of D. ocypus exists only as a fossil appears darker than emu. that of the D. novaehollandiae diemenensis – This As you look at the birds being raised on novaehollandiae novaehollandiae and the subspecies of novaehollandiae was emu farms, can you guess which of these pendulous pouch is not as apparent. The reportedly a large emu with dark feathers. sub-species were the parent stocks of body is slender and the legs longer than The body type was similar to that of those birds? that of novaehollandiae novaehollandiae. novaehollandiae novaehollandiae. It was Overall the feathers are paler than the found on the large island of Tasmania. The The three living sub-species are: other two subspecies. This sub-specie Tasmanian Emu became extinct around originated in northern Australia. 1850. D. novaehollandiae novaehollandiae – D. novaehollandiae rothschildi – D. baudinianus - The Kangaroo Island On maturity and Emu became extinct around 1827. during breeding On maturity this season, these birds bird does not have a D. ater - King Island Emu – At 4 and half have a cream- ruff or bib. It looks feet tall and weighing under 60 pounds colored (or whitish) ‘flat-chested’ fully grown, this black feathered emu ruff or bib of compared to the was the smallest of the species. You may feathers starting a other two sub- find it referred to as d. minor or as the few inches below species. The dwarf emu. This emu lived on King the head. The pendulous pouch is larger pendulous pouch is Island, the northwestern island in than in other two sub-species and sways almost non-existent in this emu. Like the Tasmania, Australia. By 1805 it had during strut. novaehollandiae woodwardi, the been hunted to extinction by sealers and metatarsus bone is long with a small visiting sailors. The one thing these three The metatarsus bone is shorter with a diameter, making this bird taller than extinct southern Australia emus have in larger diameter. The body is wider than novaehollandiae novaehollandiae. The common is that they all had darker the other two sub-species. This sub- feathers are the darkest of the three sub- feathers than the mainland emus. For specie originated in southeastern species. This subspecies originates in this reason early settlers referred to either Australia. southwestern Australia. black emu or spotted emu. Dromaius novaehollandiae is the spotted emu. .