Asio ecuadoriensis nov. sp. (1 Viewer)

[Peter Kovalik]

Lo Coco, G.E., Agnolín, F.L. & Román Carrión, J.L. Late Pleistocene owls (Aves, Strigiformes) from Ecuador, with the description of a new species. J Ornithol (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-020-01756-x

Abstract:

The fossil record of owls of the families Strigidae and Tytonidae in South America is poor. The aim of the present contribution is to report for the first time fossil Strigiformes from Riobamba Canton, at Chimborazo province, in Ecuador. The specimens come from a large owl burrow from Late Pleistocene beds of the Cangagua Formation. We report the finding of fossil record of Athene cunicularia and Tyto aff. T. furcata and the first fossil record of Glaucidium from Ecuador. Further, a giant species of the genus Asio is described. The specimen constitutes the largest known asionine owl, being approximately of the size of a big female of Bubo virginianus. Based on prey content at the fossil burrow, it is possible that the new Asio species predated on the other owls. If this inference is correct, it may represent the first evidence indicating intra-ordinal predation in the fossil record.

 

[Fred Ruhe]

Systematic paleontology

Strigiformes Wagler, 1830
Tytonidae Ridgway, 1914
Tyto Billberg, 1828
Tyto aff. T. furcata

Strigidae Leach, 1820
Athene Boie, 1822
Athene cunicularia (Molina 1782)

Glaucidium Boie, 1826
Glaucidium sp.

Asioninae Vigors, 1825
Asio Brisson, 1760
Asio ecuadoriensis nov. sp.

Holotype Distal end of right tibiotarsus EPNV, no. 6367; nearly complete right tarsometatarsus belonging to the same individual EPNV, no. 6368. Both specimens lack abrasion or stomach acid-derived weathering.

Etymology ecuadoriensis, for República del Ecuador, honoring the country that yielded the remains of the new species.

Type locality and distribution Late Pleistocene of Ecuador. The fossil site is located in the Andes, at the south of Riobamba Canton, at Chimborazo province, Ecuador. Its ravines are part of the Chambo River basin and are known as Quebrada Chalán

Fred

Fig. 1 Asio ecuadoriensis nov. sp. distal right tibiotarsus (EPNV, no. 6367; a–e) and right tarsometatarsus (EPNV, no. 6368; f–k) in (a, f) cranial, (b, g) lateral, (c, h) caudal, (d, i) medial and (j) proximal and (e, k) distal views. Scale bar 1 cm

Fig. 2 Right tarsometatarsus of (a) Asio ecuadoriensis nov. sp. (EPNV, no. 6368), (b) Asio flammeus (MACN, no. 2317), (c) Pseudoscops clamator (MACN, no.1404), (d) Asio stygius (MACN, no. 1421), and (e) Bubo virginianus (MACN, no. 54,505), in cranial views. Scale bar 1 cm