Project 4390: G. Mayr, V. L. De Pietri, L. Love, A. Mannering, R. P. Scofield, R. Benson. 2021. Oldest, smallest and phylogenetically most basal pelagornithid, from the early Paleocene of New Zealand, sheds light on the evolutionary history of the largest flying birds. Papers in Palaeontology. 7 (1):217-233.
Abstract
The Cenozoic Pelagornithidae, or pseudotoothed birds, are characterized by unique bony projections along the cutting edges of the beak. These birds were previously known from late Paleocene to Pliocene fossil sites and some species reached wingspans up to 6.4 m. Here we describe a partial skeleton of a small-sized pelagornithid from the early Paleocene of New Zealand. Protodontopteryx ruthae gen. et sp. nov. is the oldest record of the clade, the smallest known species, and the first pre-Eocene pelagornithid from the Southern Hemisphere. The skull of the new species exhibits the characteristic pelagornithid morphology, but the postcranial skeleton distinctly differs from other pelagornithids, and various plesiomorphic features indicate that it is the earliest-diverging representative of the Pelagornithidae. The much stouter humerus suggests that the new species was less adapted to sustained soaring than previously known pelagornithids. Pseudoteeth therefore evolved before pelagornithids became highly specialized gliders. Unlike the giant Neogene pelagornithid species, which presumably were skimmers, early Paleocene pelagornithids are likely to have targeted selected prey items and may have been predominantly piscivorous. The new species furthermore suggests that pelagornithids evolved in the Southern Hemisphere and documents a very early radiation of neornithine seabirds, which may have been triggered by changes in marine ecosystems around the K–Pg boundary.Read the article »
Article DOI: 10.1002/spp2.1284
Project DOI: 10.7934/P4390, http://dx.doi.org/10.7934/P4390
This project contains | Matrices |
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Download Project SDD File | Total scored cells: 2527 Total media associated with cells: 0 Total labels associated with cell media: 0 |
Characters | |
Total characters: 109 Total characters with associated media: 0 Total characters with media with labels: 0 Total character states: 237 Total character states with associated media: 0 Total character states with media with labels:0 Total unordered/ordered characters:109/0 |
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MorphoBank Project 4390
MorphoBank Project 4390
- Creation Date:
31 August 2022 - Publication Date:
31 August 2022 - Project views: 4662
- Matrix downloads: 4
Authors' Institutions
- Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt
- Canterbury Museum, Christchurch
- Senckenberg Research Institute (Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg)
Members
member name | taxa | specimens | media | chars | character
| cell scorings (scored, NPA, "-") | cell
| rules | ||||||
MorphoBank Curator Project Administrator | 27 | 1 | 1 | 109 | 0 | 0 | 2527 (2527, 0, 0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Gerald Mayr Full membership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (0, 0, 0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Paul Scofield Full membership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (0, 0, 0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M28956' (27 Taxa)
taxon | unscored cells |
scored cells |
no cell support |
NPA cells |
"-" cells | cell images | labels on cell images |
member access |
[1] † Apsaravis Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 73 | 37 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[2] † Hesperornis Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 35 | 74 | 74 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[3] † Ichthyornis Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 41 | 70 | 68 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[4] Rheidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 12 | 97 | 97 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[5] Apterygidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 7 | 103 | 102 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[6] Tinamidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 0 | 109 | 109 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[7] Galliformes Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 0 | 112 | 109 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[8] Anhimidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 8 | 102 | 101 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[9] Anatidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 0 | 113 | 109 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[10] Threskiornithidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 0 | 110 | 109 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[11] Phaethontidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 9 | 100 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[12] Fregatidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 0 | 109 | 109 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[13] Phalacrocoracidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 1 | 109 | 108 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[14] Anhingidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 2 | 108 | 107 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[15] Sulidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 2 | 108 | 107 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[16] Pelecanidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 10 | 100 | 99 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[17] Scopidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 6 | 103 | 103 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[18] Balaenicipitidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 0 | 109 | 109 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[19] Ardeidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 1 | 112 | 108 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[20] Ciconiidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 0 | 115 | 109 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[21] Procellariidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 0 | 115 | 109 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[22] Diomedeidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 0 | 109 | 109 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[23] † Pelagornis Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 36 | 73 | 73 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[24] † Dromornithidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 33 | 76 | 76 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[25] † Sylviornithidae Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 45 | 64 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[26] † Protodontopteryx Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 83 | 26 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[27] † Dasornis Last Modified in 08/31/22 | 45 | 64 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Project views
type | number of views | Individual items viewed (where applicable) |
Total project views | 4662 | |
Project overview | 383 | |
Documents list | 207 | |
Matrix views | 235 | Matrix landing page (212 views); Curated matrix, combining data from separate supplemental files (23 views); |
Taxon list | 1826 | |
Media views | 977 | Media search (805 views); M846781 (172 views); |
Specimen list | 520 | |
Views for media list | 300 | |
Bibliography | 214 |
Project downloads
type | number of downloads | Individual items downloaded (where applicable) |
Total downloads from project | 8 | |
Matrix downloads | 4 | Curated matrix, combining data from separate supplemental files (4 downloads); |
Project downloads | 4 |