NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Melanesian Megapode
Megapodius eremita Hartlaub, 1868
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.
Open encyclopedia reference
The Melanesian scrubfowl or Melanesian megapode (Megapodius eremita) is a megapode species that is endemic to islands within Melanesia. The Melanesian scrubfowl has a unique strategy of egg incubation in which it relies on environmental heat sources. This bird species is culturally important for Indigenous peoples in Melanesia.
Wikipedia contributors, Melanesian megapode; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T07:38:06.518655+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Megapodius eremita Hartlaub, 1868
- Name authority
- Hartlaub, 1868
- Common name
- Melanesian 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 eremita Hartlaub, 1868
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Nicobar MegapodeMegapodius nicobariensis Blyth, 1846 | MegapodiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| 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 |
| 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=553826 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. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
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:737VN. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.