Fred Ruhe
Well-known member
In 2011 Sara Bertelli, Luis M. Chiappe & Gerald Mayr described a new fossil bird from the Earliest Eocene of Denmark, the Fur Formation on Mors Island as Pellornis mikkelseni and referred it to the Messel Rail (Gruiformes, Messelornithidae Hesse, 1988)
Literature:
Sara Bertelli, Luis M. Chiappe & Gerald Mayr, 2011
A New Messel Rail from the Early Eocene Fur Formation of Denmark (Aves, Messelornithidae)
Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 9: 551-562
Free pdf: https://www.researchgate.net/public...ur_Formation_of_Denmark_Aves_Messelornithidae
Now during the American Ornithology Society 2018 Annual Conference Daniel J. Field and Daniel Ksepka announced new material.
Daniel J. Field & Daniel Ksepka, 2018
New material of Pellornis clarifies pattern and timing of the extant gruiform radiation
Reference:
Daniel J. Field & Daniel Ksepka, 2018
New material of Pellornis clarifies pattern and timing of the extant gruiform radiation
AOS Annual Conference 2018, Wednesday, April 11 • 1:45pm - 2:00pm
Abstract: https://aosconference2018.sched.com...n-and-timing-of-the-extant-gruiform-radiation
Phylogenetic relationships at the base of Neoaves—a group comprising approximately ninety five percent of all living birds—conflict across morphological and genomic studies. Robust phylogenetic placement of early neoavians is therefore critical for discerning the pattern and timing of deep divergences within the major neoavian subclades, such as Gruiformes. Pellornis mikkelseni represents an early gruiform-like-taxon from the latest Paleocene-earliest Eocene Fur Formation of Denmark. At approximately 54 million years old, it is among the earliest clear examples of a gruiform-like fossil. The holotype was initially described as a partial postcranial skeleton, but our additional mechanical preparation of the nodule containing the holotype has revealed the skeleton is in fact nearly complete and includes a well-preserved skull. We also identified and described two additional specimens of P. mikkelseni, which provide further morphological information. These specimens together reveal that P. mikkelseni possessed a schizorhinal skull and shares many features with the contemporary “Messel rail” Messelornis. To reassess the phylogenetic position of P. mikkelseni, we added 16 characters, 6 gruiform taxa, and novel scorings based on the holotype and referred specimens to existing morphological datasets. Preliminary phylogenetic analyses confirm P. mikkelseni as a member of the extinct Messelornithidae, and one of the oldest crown group members of Gruiformes. P. mikkelseni illustrates that recent divergence time analyses have underestimated the age of crown Gruiformes. Our results move crown Gruiformes into the early Paleogene, thereby bolstering evidence for a rapid early radiation of Neoaves following the end-Cretaceous mass extinction.
Enjoy,
Fred
Literature:
Sara Bertelli, Luis M. Chiappe & Gerald Mayr, 2011
A New Messel Rail from the Early Eocene Fur Formation of Denmark (Aves, Messelornithidae)
Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 9: 551-562
Free pdf: https://www.researchgate.net/public...ur_Formation_of_Denmark_Aves_Messelornithidae
Now during the American Ornithology Society 2018 Annual Conference Daniel J. Field and Daniel Ksepka announced new material.
Daniel J. Field & Daniel Ksepka, 2018
New material of Pellornis clarifies pattern and timing of the extant gruiform radiation
Reference:
Daniel J. Field & Daniel Ksepka, 2018
New material of Pellornis clarifies pattern and timing of the extant gruiform radiation
AOS Annual Conference 2018, Wednesday, April 11 • 1:45pm - 2:00pm
Abstract: https://aosconference2018.sched.com...n-and-timing-of-the-extant-gruiform-radiation
Phylogenetic relationships at the base of Neoaves—a group comprising approximately ninety five percent of all living birds—conflict across morphological and genomic studies. Robust phylogenetic placement of early neoavians is therefore critical for discerning the pattern and timing of deep divergences within the major neoavian subclades, such as Gruiformes. Pellornis mikkelseni represents an early gruiform-like-taxon from the latest Paleocene-earliest Eocene Fur Formation of Denmark. At approximately 54 million years old, it is among the earliest clear examples of a gruiform-like fossil. The holotype was initially described as a partial postcranial skeleton, but our additional mechanical preparation of the nodule containing the holotype has revealed the skeleton is in fact nearly complete and includes a well-preserved skull. We also identified and described two additional specimens of P. mikkelseni, which provide further morphological information. These specimens together reveal that P. mikkelseni possessed a schizorhinal skull and shares many features with the contemporary “Messel rail” Messelornis. To reassess the phylogenetic position of P. mikkelseni, we added 16 characters, 6 gruiform taxa, and novel scorings based on the holotype and referred specimens to existing morphological datasets. Preliminary phylogenetic analyses confirm P. mikkelseni as a member of the extinct Messelornithidae, and one of the oldest crown group members of Gruiformes. P. mikkelseni illustrates that recent divergence time analyses have underestimated the age of crown Gruiformes. Our results move crown Gruiformes into the early Paleogene, thereby bolstering evidence for a rapid early radiation of Neoaves following the end-Cretaceous mass extinction.
Enjoy,
Fred
