Graculavus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Graculavus Fossil range: see text
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Subclass: Neornithes Infraclass: Neoaves Order: Charadriiformes Genus: Graculavus
Species
Graculavus augustus Graculavus "idahensis" (a nomen nudum) Graculavus velox and see text

Graculavus is a prehistoric bird genus that was described by O. C. Marsh. Its remains were found in the Late Cretaceous Austin Chalk of Texas and Lance Formation (Lancan faunal stage), and the controversial Hornerstown Formation which straddles the Cretaceous-Paleocene boundary. These birds lived on the shores of the northwestern Atlantic and the Western Interior Seaway some 68-66 million years ago.

This genus is the namesake for the form taxon "Graculavidae", a plesiomorphic assembly of unrelated birds that were believed to hold a key position in avian evolution as "transitional shorebirds". Three species are known, of which two have been validly described: Graculavus augustus and Graculavus velox.

Whether the bird called Graculavus "idahensis" but never properly described is correctly placed in this genus is somewhat disputed. It is supported by a cladistic analysis however, which also agrees with the view that Graculavus is a basal member of the Charadriiformes (shorebirds).^[1]

"Graculavus" lentus was for some time placed in Ichthyornis or Pedioecetes after being removed from the present genus. It is not related to either however and is nowadays considered an early galliform or close relative and placed in the genus Austinornis.^[2]

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] References

• Clarke, Julia A. (2004): Morphology, Phylogenetic Taxonomy, and Systematics of Ichthyornis and Apatornis (Avialae: Ornithurae). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 286: 1-179 PDF fulltext
• Mortimer, Michael (2004): The Theropod Database: Phylogeny of taxa. Retrieved 2007-OCT-29.