An enigmatic fossil penguin from the Eocene of Antarctica

• Main Authors: Jadwiszczaka, Piotr, Mörs, Thomas
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Norwegian Polar Institute 2017
• Subjects: Antarctic Peninsula; La Meseta Formation; Paleogene; Sphenisciformes; tarsometatarsus; new morphotype; Antarctic; Seymour; Seymour Island; Graham Land; Antarc*; Antarctica; Polar Research
• Online Access: https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/2635

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.