Paraptenodytes robustus

Paraptenodytes robustus Temporal range: Early Miocene PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Conservation status
Fossil
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Sphenisciformes
Family:	Spheniscidae
Subfamily:	Paraptenodytinae
Genus:	Paraptenodytes
Species:	P. robustus
Binomial name
Paraptenodytes robustus (Ameghino, 1895)
Synonyms
Palaeospheniscus robustus Ameghino, 1895 Paraptenodytes curtus Ameghino, 1901 Paraptenodytes grandis Ameghino, 1901 Arthrodytes grandis Ameghino, 1905 Metancylornis curtus Ameghino, 1905 Treleudytes crassa Ameghino, 1905 Treleudytes crassus Simpson, 1946 Perispheniscus robustus Brodkorb, 1963

Paraptenodytes robustus is the type species of the penguin genus Palaeospheniscus, which is known from fossils. It was medium-sized, an estimated 70–80 cm long in life (similar to a Magellanic penguin).

The fossils of this species are known from several dozen bones, found in Early Miocene rocks of the Patagonian Molasse Formation. Documented locations are near La Cueva, Trelew in Chubut Province, and Puerto San Julián in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. Most remains are only tentatively assigned to this species, however, and the tarsometatarsus formerly referred to as Treleudytes crassus may belong to a completely different species. On the other hand, Paraptenodytes brodkorbi is probably synonymous with P. robustus.

References

• Ameghino, Florentino (1895): Sur les oiseaux fossiles de Patagonie. Bol. Inst. Geogr. Argentina 15 501-602. [Article in French]
• Simpson, George Gaylord (1946): Fossil penguins. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 87: 7-99. PDF fulltext
• Simpson, George Gaylord (1971): Conspectus of Patagonian fossil penguins. American Museum Novitates 2488: 1-37. PDF fulltext