Diversity of pseudo-toothed birds (Pelagornithidae) from the Eocene of Antarctica
Abstract The Antarctic pelagornithid record is restricted to few isolated remains from the Eocene of Seymour Island in the Antarctic Peninsula. Here we report the oldest Antarctic pseudo-toothed bird. It is represented by an incomplete humerus lacking its proximal end, which comes from the lower Eoc...
Published in: | Journal of Paleontology |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
2015
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jpa.2015.48 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022336015000487 |
id |
crcambridgeupr:10.1017/jpa.2015.48 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
crcambridgeupr:10.1017/jpa.2015.48 2024-09-15T17:48:50+00:00 Diversity of pseudo-toothed birds (Pelagornithidae) from the Eocene of Antarctica Cenizo, Marcos Hospitaleche, Carolina Acosta Reguero, Marcelo 2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jpa.2015.48 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022336015000487 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Journal of Paleontology volume 89, issue 5, page 870-881 ISSN 0022-3360 1937-2337 journal-article 2015 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/jpa.2015.48 2024-09-04T04:02:42Z Abstract The Antarctic pelagornithid record is restricted to few isolated remains from the Eocene of Seymour Island in the Antarctic Peninsula. Here we report the oldest Antarctic pseudo-toothed bird. It is represented by an incomplete humerus lacking its proximal end, which comes from the lower Eocene levels of the La Meseta Formation (Seymour Island). This new specimen facilitates a review of all known pelagornithids from this continent. Antarctic pelagornithids were classified into two morphotypes that exhibit a mix of putative plesiomorphic and derived characters. Considering the worldwide pelagornithid record and according to estimated wingspans, four approximate size-types were identified. The oldest Antarctic specimens (two fragmentary humeri, middle Ypresian) were assigned to morphotype 1 and correspond to the large size-type. The younger materials (Bartonian/?Priabonian) here assigned to morphotype 2 (some cranial remains, fragmentary tarsometatarsus and humerus) correspond to the giant size-type and represent one of the largest known pseudo-toothed birds. Even though species level phylogenetic affinities of Pelagornithidae remain poorly resolved, three key evolutionary events can be recognized: (1) the disappearance of Dasornis in the Early Eocene and the appearance of more advanced forms with a trend to the specialization of large soaring capacity, (2) the origin of Pelagornis sensu lato species in the early Oligocene, and (3) the appearance and dominance of a highly specialized terminal group at Mio/Pliocene time span. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica Seymour Island Cambridge University Press Journal of Paleontology 89 5 870 881 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract The Antarctic pelagornithid record is restricted to few isolated remains from the Eocene of Seymour Island in the Antarctic Peninsula. Here we report the oldest Antarctic pseudo-toothed bird. It is represented by an incomplete humerus lacking its proximal end, which comes from the lower Eocene levels of the La Meseta Formation (Seymour Island). This new specimen facilitates a review of all known pelagornithids from this continent. Antarctic pelagornithids were classified into two morphotypes that exhibit a mix of putative plesiomorphic and derived characters. Considering the worldwide pelagornithid record and according to estimated wingspans, four approximate size-types were identified. The oldest Antarctic specimens (two fragmentary humeri, middle Ypresian) were assigned to morphotype 1 and correspond to the large size-type. The younger materials (Bartonian/?Priabonian) here assigned to morphotype 2 (some cranial remains, fragmentary tarsometatarsus and humerus) correspond to the giant size-type and represent one of the largest known pseudo-toothed birds. Even though species level phylogenetic affinities of Pelagornithidae remain poorly resolved, three key evolutionary events can be recognized: (1) the disappearance of Dasornis in the Early Eocene and the appearance of more advanced forms with a trend to the specialization of large soaring capacity, (2) the origin of Pelagornis sensu lato species in the early Oligocene, and (3) the appearance and dominance of a highly specialized terminal group at Mio/Pliocene time span. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Cenizo, Marcos Hospitaleche, Carolina Acosta Reguero, Marcelo |
spellingShingle |
Cenizo, Marcos Hospitaleche, Carolina Acosta Reguero, Marcelo Diversity of pseudo-toothed birds (Pelagornithidae) from the Eocene of Antarctica |
author_facet |
Cenizo, Marcos Hospitaleche, Carolina Acosta Reguero, Marcelo |
author_sort |
Cenizo, Marcos |
title |
Diversity of pseudo-toothed birds (Pelagornithidae) from the Eocene of Antarctica |
title_short |
Diversity of pseudo-toothed birds (Pelagornithidae) from the Eocene of Antarctica |
title_full |
Diversity of pseudo-toothed birds (Pelagornithidae) from the Eocene of Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Diversity of pseudo-toothed birds (Pelagornithidae) from the Eocene of Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Diversity of pseudo-toothed birds (Pelagornithidae) from the Eocene of Antarctica |
title_sort |
diversity of pseudo-toothed birds (pelagornithidae) from the eocene of antarctica |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jpa.2015.48 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022336015000487 |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica Seymour Island |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica Seymour Island |
op_source |
Journal of Paleontology volume 89, issue 5, page 870-881 ISSN 0022-3360 1937-2337 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/jpa.2015.48 |
container_title |
Journal of Paleontology |
container_volume |
89 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
870 |
op_container_end_page |
881 |
_version_ |
1810290370035056640 |