Evidence for Wide Dispersal in a Stem Galliform Clade from a New Small-sized Middle Eocene Pangalliform (Aves: Paraortygidae) from the Uinta Basin of Utah (USA)
A new bird coracoid from the Uinta Formation in the Uinta Basin in Utah (USA) records the presence of the only known pangalliform from the middle Eocene of North America, occurring in a >15 million year gap in their history. This fossil represents a new taxon, informally termed the Uintan par...
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MDPI AG
2020-02-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/12/3/90 |
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| author | Thomas A. Stidham K.E. Beth Townsend Patricia A. Holroyd |
| author_facet | Thomas A. Stidham K.E. Beth Townsend Patricia A. Holroyd |
| author_sort | Thomas A. Stidham |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A new bird coracoid from the Uinta Formation in the Uinta Basin in Utah (USA) records the presence of the only known pangalliform from the middle Eocene of North America, occurring in a >15 million year gap in their history. This fossil represents a new taxon, informally termed the Uintan paraortygid, which is also currently the best-supported record of the extinct Paraortygidae in North America (and among the oldest records of the group in the world). The specimen exhibits a derived enlarged procoracoid prominence with a small procoracoid process, and concave elliptical scapular cotyle that are shared with the middle Eocene paraortygids, <i>Xorazmortyx</i> and <i>Scopelortyx</i>; however, the Uintan paraortygid also has a possibly autapomorphic (pneumatic) fossa adjacent to the scapular cotyle. The similarity in body size and morphology among these widely distributed early paraortygids suggests phylogenetic affinity among them. Given their occurrence in the United States, Uzbekistan, and Namibia during the middle Eocene, these birds likely were good fliers with an increased ability to disperse; and probably had a flexible biology or diet allowing them to occupy a diversity of habitats from coasts and forests to semi-arid savannah-like habitats. The problematic early records of Odontophoridae need to be reexamined as potential members of Paraortygidae and associates of these small-bodied taxa. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T19:43:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9e79c58a2dc948bfafb22b233359da8a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T19:43:21Z |
| publishDate | 2020-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-9e79c58a2dc948bfafb22b233359da8a2022-12-22T03:19:01ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182020-02-011239010.3390/d12030090d12030090Evidence for Wide Dispersal in a Stem Galliform Clade from a New Small-sized Middle Eocene Pangalliform (Aves: Paraortygidae) from the Uinta Basin of Utah (USA)Thomas A. Stidham0K.E. Beth Townsend1Patricia A. Holroyd2Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100044, ChinaDepartment of Anatomy, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, 19555 N. 59th Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85308, USAMuseum of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USAA new bird coracoid from the Uinta Formation in the Uinta Basin in Utah (USA) records the presence of the only known pangalliform from the middle Eocene of North America, occurring in a >15 million year gap in their history. This fossil represents a new taxon, informally termed the Uintan paraortygid, which is also currently the best-supported record of the extinct Paraortygidae in North America (and among the oldest records of the group in the world). The specimen exhibits a derived enlarged procoracoid prominence with a small procoracoid process, and concave elliptical scapular cotyle that are shared with the middle Eocene paraortygids, <i>Xorazmortyx</i> and <i>Scopelortyx</i>; however, the Uintan paraortygid also has a possibly autapomorphic (pneumatic) fossa adjacent to the scapular cotyle. The similarity in body size and morphology among these widely distributed early paraortygids suggests phylogenetic affinity among them. Given their occurrence in the United States, Uzbekistan, and Namibia during the middle Eocene, these birds likely were good fliers with an increased ability to disperse; and probably had a flexible biology or diet allowing them to occupy a diversity of habitats from coasts and forests to semi-arid savannah-like habitats. The problematic early records of Odontophoridae need to be reexamined as potential members of Paraortygidae and associates of these small-bodied taxa.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/12/3/90coracoiddispersaleocenegalliformesparaortygidaeuinta formationutah |
| spellingShingle | Thomas A. Stidham K.E. Beth Townsend Patricia A. Holroyd Evidence for Wide Dispersal in a Stem Galliform Clade from a New Small-sized Middle Eocene Pangalliform (Aves: Paraortygidae) from the Uinta Basin of Utah (USA) Diversity coracoid dispersal eocene galliformes paraortygidae uinta formation utah |
| title | Evidence for Wide Dispersal in a Stem Galliform Clade from a New Small-sized Middle Eocene Pangalliform (Aves: Paraortygidae) from the Uinta Basin of Utah (USA) |
| title_full | Evidence for Wide Dispersal in a Stem Galliform Clade from a New Small-sized Middle Eocene Pangalliform (Aves: Paraortygidae) from the Uinta Basin of Utah (USA) |
| title_fullStr | Evidence for Wide Dispersal in a Stem Galliform Clade from a New Small-sized Middle Eocene Pangalliform (Aves: Paraortygidae) from the Uinta Basin of Utah (USA) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evidence for Wide Dispersal in a Stem Galliform Clade from a New Small-sized Middle Eocene Pangalliform (Aves: Paraortygidae) from the Uinta Basin of Utah (USA) |
| title_short | Evidence for Wide Dispersal in a Stem Galliform Clade from a New Small-sized Middle Eocene Pangalliform (Aves: Paraortygidae) from the Uinta Basin of Utah (USA) |
| title_sort | evidence for wide dispersal in a stem galliform clade from a new small sized middle eocene pangalliform aves paraortygidae from the uinta basin of utah usa |
| topic | coracoid dispersal eocene galliformes paraortygidae uinta formation utah |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/12/3/90 |
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