An enigmatic fossil penguin from the Eocene of Antarctica

• Published in: Polar Research
• Main Authors: Piotr Jadwiszczak, Thomas Mörs
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Norwegian Polar Institute 2017
• Subjects: Antarctic Peninsula; La Meseta Formation; Paleogene; Sphenisciformes; tarsometatarsus; new morphotype; Environmental sciences; GE1-350; Oceanography; GC1-1581; Antarctic; Seymour; Seymour Island; Graham Land; Antarc*; Antarctica; Polar Research
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1080/17518369.2017.1291086; https://doaj.org/article/f871b674a7c0485e85ad78218b07b282

Tarsometatarsi are key skeletal elements in penguin palaeontology. They constitute, among others, type specimens of all 10 widely accepted species of fossil penguins from the Eocene La Meseta Formation on Seymour Island (Graham Land, Antarctic Peninsula). Here, we report on a recently collected large-sized tarsometatarsus from this formation that represents a new morphotype. We are convinced that the morphotype corresponds to a new species, but the material is too scarce for a taxonomic act. Undoubtedly, the bone discussed here is a valuable addition to our knowledge on diversity of early penguins.