Raphus cucullatus

Raphus cucullatus , commonly known as the dodo or Mauritius dodo , was a flightless bird endemic to the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean that became extinct during the 17th century , just over 80 years after the arrival of Europeans to the island. The genus Raphus is currently included within the family Columbidae (pigeons and doves), with the dodo being one of the most notorious examples of island gigantism and accelerated extinction due to human impact .

From a morphological standpoint, Raphus cucullatus was a terrestrial bird of considerable size for a pigeon , standing approximately 1 m tall. More recent body mass estimates place its weight at around 10–12 kg , lower than the exaggerated historical figures of 20–25 kg derived from ancient artistic depictions and possibly overfed specimens. These modern estimates are based on measurements of long bones (femur, tibiotarsus, tarsometatarsus) and allometric scaling methods, yielding a more realistic average similar to that of a large live turkey .

The skull anatomy and endocast (virtual reconstruction of the cranial interior from tomography scans) of R. cucullatus show relatively large olfactory bulbs and semicircular canals with a particular angulation compared to other pigeons, which suggests distinctive sensory and behavioral aspects within the columbiformes, although the total brain volume is within the expected range for birds of similar size.

The plumage reconstructed from subfossil remains indicates a general grayish or brownish scheme with greatly reduced, vestigial wings , incapable of sustaining flight, and robust legs adapted to a terrestrial lifestyle. The large , curved, and strong beak could have served various functions, from foraging for hard fruits to manipulating plant material. Although few fine details of the plumage are known with certainty, recent three-dimensional models of the skeleton have begun to fill anatomical gaps and allow for a more accurate view of its overall morphology.

Ecologically, Raphus cucullatus inhabited dry lowland forests, coastal scrub, and areas of diverse vegetation in the lowlands of Mauritius , where it moved on foot to forage for fallen fruit, seeds, possibly bulbs, and other understory plant resources. It is believed to have been an opportunistic frugivore/omnivore that may have contributed to the seed dispersal of endemic trees , playing an important ecological role in maintaining the island's pre-human forest communities. Subfossil remains from the Mare aux Songes area indicate that its main distribution was restricted to these lowland areas and not necessarily to higher elevations within the island.

The biology of the species has also been examined through histological analyses of bones , which have allowed inferences to be made about aspects of its life cycle: there is evidence of rapid growth in the chicks to reach a robust size before the changing climatic seasons, and that the adults underwent body molting after the reproductive period , chronologies that agree with historical descriptions from 17th-century sailors.

The extinction of R. cucullatus was accelerated by a combination of direct hunting by humans , the introduction of exotic species (such as rats, pigs, dogs, and monkeys that preyed on eggs and young), and habitat loss due to early deforestation following European colonization. The last widely accepted sighting of a living dodo dates back to the 1680s , marking the disappearance of one of the most iconic species of island megafauna.

Approximate measurements of the Dodo:

• Complete 1:20 Scale
  • Length 58 mm 
  • Height 48 mm
  • Width 36 mm
  • Snout-tail length 60 mm

• Complete 1:10 Scale
  • Length 111 mm 
  • Height 96 mm
  • Width 72 mm
  • Snout-tail length 120 mm