NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Nicobar Megapode
Megapodius nicobariensis Blyth, 1846
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
from great nicobar island
Dr jishnu · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Image sourceProvider-generated thumbnail requested at 800 pixels; no local editing Local WebP display rendition; resized without cropping.
Open encyclopedia reference
The Nicobar megapode or Nicobar scrubfowl (Megapodius nicobariensis) is a megapode endemic to the Nicobar Islands of India. Like other megapodes, it builds a large mound nest of soil and vegetation, with the eggs incubated by the heat produced by decomposition. Newly hatched chicks climb out of the loose soil of the mound and, being fully feathered, are capable of flight. The Nicobar Islands lie on the western edge of the megapode distribution, well separated from the nearest ranges of other megapode species. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami reduced the global population by an estimated 66–75% and completely submerged Megapode Island; the species is now considered globally Vulnerable under IUCN criteria A1bc; D1, with a stable but small post-tsunami population.
Wikipedia contributors, Nicobar megapode; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T05:29:51.105901+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Megapodius nicobariensis Blyth, 1846
- Name authority
- Blyth, 1846
- Common name
- Nicobar Megapode
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Megapodiidae
- Genus
- Megapodius
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classAves
- orderGalliformes
- familyMegapodiidae
- genusMegapodius Gaimard, 1823
- speciesMegapodius nicobariensis Blyth, 1846
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Megapodius. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Orange-footed MegapodeMegapodius reinwardt Dumont, 1823 | MegapodiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Tanimbar MegapodeMegapodius tenimberensis P. L. Sclater, 1883 | MegapodiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Sula MegapodeMegapodius bernsteinii Schlegel, 1866 | MegapodiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| New Guinea MegapodeMegapodius decollatus Oustalet, 1878 | MegapodiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Melanesian MegapodeMegapodius eremita Hartlaub, 1868 | MegapodiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Biak MegapodeMegapodius geelvinkianus A. B. Meyer, 1874 | MegapodiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| La Perouse's MegapodeMegapodius laperouse Gaimard, 1823 | MegapodiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Vanuatu MegapodeMegapodius layardi Tristram, 1879 | MegapodiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Niuafoou ScrubfowlMegapodius pritchardii G. R. Gray, 1864 | MegapodiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=553821 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:3YWV5. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.