Aves 3D

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• Animal Diversity Web
• Encyclopedia of Life
• Wikipedia Superb Bird of Paradise Link

Sternum (Breast Bone) of the Superb Bird of Paradise Lophorina superba (MCZ 346476)

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Phylogenic Position
Aves - Neognathae - Passeriformes - Paradisaeidae - Lophorina - Lophorina superba
Species Description
The Superb of Bird of Paradise is frugivorous bird found throughout the rainforests of New Guinea. It was believed to be a bird of the gods who never appeared on the ground until death, as the birds are quite secretive and difficult to find. The bird has an unusually low population of females, which results in fierce competition for mates; this, in turn, leads to the elaborate mating rituals for which the birds of paradise are known. The male Superb Bird of Paradise prepares a “dance floor”, scrubbing a patch of dirt or branch clean with leaves, and then attracts a female with a series of loud calls; the bird is also known as the “arena bird”, because it displays in tightly guarded areas called “leks”. When a female appears, the normally folded black feather cape and blue-green breast plate on the male pop up and spread around the head, obscuring the bird’s normal shape and creating an ellipse with legs. The male then performs a mating dance, rhythmically snapping its tail against the ground and hopping around in circles.
Specimen Information
Species	Lophorina superba (Superb Bird of Paradise)
Element	Sternum (Breast Bone)
Specimen Number	MCZ 346476
Sex
Location
Geological Age	Recent
Technical Information
Scanner	Roland Picza
Resolution	100 µm
Number of Data Points	155309
Number of Data Polygons	310616
Date Scanned	July 15, 2008
Scan Technician	Michael Krzyzak
Edited By	Megan Cooper
Photographs
View All 1 Images
Download Digital Model	Size
STL File Not Publicly Available	15.5 MB
Other Lophorina superba (Superb Bird of Paradise) Elements
Specimen	Element
MCZ 346476	Left Humerus (Left Upper Arm Bone)
MCZ 346476	Left Tarsometatarsus (Left Fused Element Consisting of Ankle and Middle Foot Bones)
MCZ 346476	Mandible (Jawbone )
MCZ 346476	Right Humerus (Right Upper Arm Bone)
MCZ 346476	Right Tarsometatarsus (Right Fused Element Consisting of Ankle and Middle Foot Bones)
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