Casuariiformes Casuariiformes The Casuariiformes is an order of large flightless bird that has four surviving members: the three species of cassowary, and the only remaining species of emu. They are divided into either a single family, Casuariidae, or more typically two, with the emu splitting off into its own family, Dromaiidae. All four living members are native to Australia-New Guinea, but some possible extinct taxa occurred in other landmasses. The emus form a distinct family, characterized by legs adapted for running. As with all ratites, there are several contested theories concerning their evolution and relationships. As regards this order, it is
Southern emu-wren from Java. From there it was named by François Levaillant as the gauze-tailed warbler. This mistake was not picked up for another 55 years. Veillot defined the genus "Malurus" and placed the southern emu-wren within it, naming it as "Malurus palustris". The southern emu-wren derives its common name from its tail feathers, the loosely barbed nature of which resembles feathers of the emu, the irony being that the emu-wrens are among the smallest of Australian birds, while the emu is the largest. Up to eleven subspecies have been described, with eight currently recognised: The adult male has rusty-brown upperparts with