Leptoptilos patagonicus
| Leptoptilos patagonicus Temporal range: late Miocene, 9.41 Ma | |
|---|---|
| Extinct | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Ciconiiformes |
| Family: | Ciconiidae |
| Genus: | Leptoptilos Lesson, 1831 |
| Species: | L. patagonicus |
| Binomial name | |
| Leptoptilos patagonicus | |
Leptoptilos patagonicus is an extinct species of large bodied Leptoptilini stork that existed during the late Miocene epoch. Discovered in the Puerto Madryn Formation in Chubut Province, Argentina, L. patagonicus is the first fossil record discovery of a member of Leptoptilos in South America[1] and the only one found so far in the New World.[2]
Description
In comparison with extant Leptoptilos, L. patagonicus is larger than L. javanicus and similar in size to the largest members of L. dubius and L. crumeniferus.[3] In comparison with extant Leptoptilos, the hindlimbs are larger than the forelimbs, resulting in shorter wings relative to extant Leptotilos, a characteristic shared by the extinct Leptoptilos falconeri.[3] L. patagonicus is smaller than L. falconeri.[3]
The humerus and ulna are shorter than those of L. dubius and L. crumeniferus.[4] The tibiotarsus is shorter than that of L. falconeri, but slighter longer than those usually found in L. dubius and L. crumeniferus.[4]
References
- ↑ Noriega 2008, p. 593.
- ↑ Zhang 2012, p. 699.
- 1 2 3 Noriega 2008, p. 596.
- 1 2 Noriega 2008, p. 599.
Bibliography
- Noriega, Jorge Ignacio; Cladera, Gerardo (2008). "First record of an extinct marabou stork in the Neogene of South America". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 53 (4): 593–600. doi:10.4202/app.2008.0404.
- Zhang, Zihui; Huang, Yunping; James, Helen F.; Hou, Lianhai (2012). "A Marabou (Ciconiidae: Leptoptilos) from the Middle Pleistocene of Northeastern China". The Auk 129 (4): 699–706. doi:10.1525/auk.2012.11227.