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

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. 
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