Eocene fossil feather from King George Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Abstract The first fossil avian feather from Antarctica is reported here, from the early to middle Eocene Fossil Hill Formation at Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica. Characteristics such as its form, asymmetry of vanes, closed-pennaceous vanes with barbules and a deep ventral groove i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Antarctic Science
Main Authors: Mansilla, Héctor G., Stinnesbeck, Wolfgang, Varela, Natalia, Leppe, Marcelo
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2013
Subjects:
Geology
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Oceanography
King George Island
South Shetland Islands
Fildes
Fildes peninsula
Fossil Hill
Antarc*
Antarctic Science
Antarctica
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102013000771
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102013000771
Description
Summary:Abstract The first fossil avian feather from Antarctica is reported here, from the early to middle Eocene Fossil Hill Formation at Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica. Characteristics such as its form, asymmetry of vanes, closed-pennaceous vanes with barbules and a deep ventral groove indicate that the feather was used for flight. The site from which the feather was collected is known to yield a variety of well-preserved trace fossils, palaeobotanical and palaeoenvironmental remains, suggesting a shorebird ecotype for the owner of this feather, certainly belonging to a Neornithes. The continental position, preservation as an external mould and type of feather makes this specimen a novel and an exceedingly rare record.

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