Primitive koa finch Primitive koa finch The primitive koa finch ("Rhodacanthis litotes") is a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper. It was endemic to Hawaii. Of the four species in the genus "Rhodacanthis", it and the scissor-billed koa finch became extinct before the arrival of the first Europeans to Hawaii in 1778. It is known as the ancestor of all koa finches. An adult primitive koa finch was slender and had a total length of about . There was probably a small distinct difference between the sexes. Based on fossils, it is known that the adult primitive koa finch had a slightly curved, thick bill.
Acacia koa a diameter of . Flowering may be seasonal or year round depending on the location. Fruit production occurs when a koa tree is between 5 and 30 years old. The fruit are legumes, also called pods, with a length of and a width of . Each pod contains an average of 12 seeds. The long, wide seeds are flattened ellipsoids and range from dark brown to black in color. The pods are mature and ready for propagation after turning from green to brown or black. Seeds are covered with a hard seed coat, and this allows them to remain dormant