Paraptenodytes robustus

Paraptenodytes robustus
Temporal range: Early Miocene
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

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