Genetic identification of moa remains recovered from Tiniroto, Gisborne

DNA analysis has identified two species of moa at an excavation site in Tiniroto, Gisborne. DNA extraction was attempted for 14 left and two right femora of which 10 samples yielded amplifiable DNA. The identity of the bones was determined by amplifying and sequencing DNA from a region of the mitochondrial genome designated hypervariable region 1 (HVR1). Comparison of the sequences with those from the GenBank database suggested that four of the 10 samples were from Dinornis novaezealandiae and six were from Anomalopteryx didiformis, a species found more often in caves. The sequence data from the Tiniroto samples group with other samples recovered from this part of New Zealand's North Island. DNA analysis may prove useful for the identification of moa species type and number for fragmented remains recovered from such sites.