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Re: (origin of the palaeognathous palate)

> However, the rhea [...] DNA studies reveal that
> he is more closely related to the ostrich than the emu.

No longer.

Alan Cooper, Carles Lalueza-Fox, Simon Anderson, Andrew Rambaut, Jeremy
Austin & Ryk Ward: Complete mitochondrial genome sequences of two extinct
moas clarify ratite evolution, Nature 409, 704 -- 706 (8 February 2001)

With tinamous and chicken as outgroups:

--+--*Rhea*
  `--+--+--*Emeus* (a moa)
     |  `--*Dinornis* (another moa)
     `--+--*Struthio* (ostrich)
        `--+?--*Mullerornis* (Aepyornithidae)
           |--*Apteryx* (kiwi)
           `--+--*Casuarius* (cassowary)
              `--*Dromaius* (emu)