A large extinct brother of the Priolo (1 Viewer)

Zootaxa Vol 4282, No 3

A new extinct species of large bullfinch (Aves: Fringillidae: Pyrrhula) from Graciosa Island (Azores, North Atlantic Ocean)
J.C RANDO, H. PIEPER, STORRS L. OLSON, F. PEREIRA, J.A. ALCOVER

Abstract

A new species of extinct bullfinch, Pyrrhula crassa n. sp., is described from bones found in Furna do Calcinhas, a small cave situated at Caldeira, a volcano located in the southeastern portion of the Graciosa Island (Azores archipelago, North Atlantic Ocean). It is the first extinct passerine bird to be described from this archipelago. Both skull and post-cranial bones are larger in the new species than in its relatives, the Eurasian Bullfinch (P. pyrrhula) and the Azores Bullfinch or “Priolo” from São Miguel Island (P. murina), the new species being the largest known in this genus. The morphology of its humerus and the estimated wing length and surface area seem to indicate a flying ability similar to that of the extant P. murina. The possible sources of colonization of the genus into Azores, causes and chronology of extinction of the new species are discussed



Keywords

Aves, Fringillidae, Pyrrhula

Proposed vernacular name: Greater Azores Bullfinch

http://www.mapress.com/j/zt/article/view/zootaxa.4282.3.9

In the same article they mentioned an unnamed and undetermined extinct member of the family Fringillidae. This finch was also from Graciosa. More is not mentioned on that taxa. Maybe in a future paper.

On page 577 Rando et al. discuss two species of Pyrrhula described by Kessler, 2013: "Of the two species of Pyrrhula proposed (Kessler 2013: 81–82), P. galae (nec gali as the species was named after female Hungarian paleornithologist, Erika Gál) was said only to correspond “in its characters to
recent species of the genus” and P. minor (nec Pyrrhula minor Brehm, 1855) was said only to correspond “in its characteristics to [the] recent genus, but differs in dimensions.” Even if these few bones are actually referable to the genus Pyrrhula, they obviously have no direct connection to the evolution of a large species of Pyrrhula in the Azores.

Pyrrhula minor Kessler, 2013 is obviously preoccupied by Pyrrhula minor Brehm, 1855 and should get another name, but can they, under the present rules change the name of Pyrrhula gali Kerssler, 2013 to Pyrrhula galae Kessler, 2013?

Fred

Another point I want to mention is that Rando et al. state on page 571: "Holotype. MCMa 2002.016: fragmentary mandible, with a near complete right half, without processus medialis mandibulae and a fragment of the processus coronoideus, and the left ramus mandibulae broken (Figure 3 A`)."

In the caption of fig. 3 they say: "Premaxilla and mandible of Pyrrhula crassa n.sp. (A; MCMa 2003.016 holotype, A`; MCMa 2002.016, reversed),"

on page 575 they say: "Although we have no complete mandible, it has been possible to reconstruct its shape using a mirror image of the single available half mandible (MCMa 2000.016, holotype)."

So It is not clear to me what is the holotype. Is it MCMa 2002.016; 2003.016 or 2000.016.

Fred