Re: Ducks present and past (was Re: ARE ORNITHOPODS BORING?)

[fredericus ruhe <fredruhe@xs4all.nl>]

At 16:38 14-02-2001 -0600, you wrote:

>Anyway, while on the subject of ducks, I came across this paper:
>
>Olson, S.L. (1999).  The anseriform relationships of Anatalavis Olson and 
>Parris (Anseranatidae), with a new species from the lower Eocene London 
>Clay.  Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology. 1999;  (89): 231-243.
>
>Abstract:  "An associated partial skeleton, including the skull but lacking 
>legs, from the lower Eocene London Clay of Essex, England, possesses derived 
>characters of the coracoid and furcula that show it to belong to the 
>Anseranatidae, which previously had no fossil record. Except for its much 
>larger size, the humerus of this specimen is identical to that of Anatalavis 
>rex (Shufeldt) from the late Cretaceous or early Paleocene of New Jersey. 
>The Eocene specimen is described as a new species, Anatalavis oxfordi, and 
>the genus Anatalavis is transferred from the form-family Graculavidae to a 
>new subfamily, Anatalavinae, of the Anseranatidae.  Anatalavis is 
>characterized by a very broad duck-like bill, a proportionately very short 
>and robust humerus, and an anterior portion of the pelvis resembling that of 
>ibises and other wading birds more than that of any known anseriform. Other 
>features of its osteology are unique within the order."
>
>As the abstract says, Storrs Olson believes _Anatalavis_ to be most closely 
>related to the magpie goose among modern avians.  Olson and Parris (1987) 
>previously reported _Anatalavis_ from New Jersey, as one of several species 
>of birds from the Navesink and Hornerstown formations.  To anyone's 
>knowledge have either of these formations been pinned down to either late 
>Upper Cretaceous or early Paleocene?
>
>
>Tim
>


Hi Tim,

Somewhere I've red that Gareth Dyke doesn't believe, the genus belongs in
the Anseranatidae, I can't remember the ref, but maybe he can tell us more!

Fred Ruhe

>------------------------------------------------------------
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>Timothy J. Williams
>
>USDA/ARS Researcher
>Agronomy Hall
>Iowa State University
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