...........................................................................................................................................2 Introduction .. .....................................................................................................................................2 Materials and methods ......................................................................................................................4 Systematic paleontology ...................................................................................................................6 Class Aves .........................................................................................................................................6 Order Gruiformes ..............................................................................................................................6 Family Rallidae .................................................................................................................................6 Genus Gallirallus Lafresnaye, 1841 .................................................................................................7 Micronesian rails ...............................................................................................................................8 †Gallirallus temptatus new species ...........................................................................................8 †Gallirallus pisonii new species ..............................................................................................10 †Gallirallus pendiculentus new species ...................................................................................18 Melanesian rails ..............................................................................................................................24 †Gallirallus ernstmayri, new species .......................................................................................24 Discussion .....................................................................................................................................28 Acknowledgments ... . .....................................................................................................................29 Literature cited ................................................................................................................................30