Paleogene Fossil Birds / Edition 1 available in Hardcover
- ISBN-10:
- 3540896279
- ISBN-13:
- 9783540896272
- Pub. Date:
- 05/20/2009
- Publisher:
- Springer Berlin Heidelberg
- ISBN-10:
- 3540896279
- ISBN-13:
- 9783540896272
- Pub. Date:
- 05/20/2009
- Publisher:
- Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Hardcover
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$249.99Overview
The present book is the first detailed review of the Paleogene avian fossil record on a worldwide scale. Numerous well-preserved fossil bird remains from this geological period, which covers the time span from the end of the Mesozoic era to the beginning of the Miocene, have been described in the past two decades. Some of these not only provide information on morphological transformations in the evolutionary history of the extant avian taxa, but are also of great significance for an understanding of their historical biogeography. Others represent extinct taxa which sometimes show a bizarre morphology not found in modern birds, such as the giant pseudotoothed birds which reached wingspans up to six meters.
The reader is introduced to basic morphological features of the various groups which, as far as possible, are placed into a phylogenetic context in the light of current hypotheses on the interrelationships of extant birds. In a concluding chapter the biogeographical significance of Paleogene fossil birds and possible reasons for faunal changes during the Paleogene are detailed. As such, the book not only aims at providing an overview for specialists, but may also help students of other fields of vertebrate paleontology to better understand Paleogene ecosystems.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9783540896272 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Springer Berlin Heidelberg |
| Publication date: | 05/20/2009 |
| Edition description: | 2009 |
| Pages: | 262 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.30(w) x 9.50(h) x 0.80(d) |
About the Author
Table of Contents
1 Introduction 1
2 Stratigraphy and Major Fossil Localities 5
2.1 Europe 5
2.2 Asia 7
2.3 North America 8
2.4 Central and South America 9
2.5 Africa 10
2.6 Australia, New Zealand, and Antarctica 10
3 Higher-Level Phylogeny of Extant Birds 13
4 Mesozoic Neornithes 19
5 Palaeognathous Birds 25
5.1 †Lithornithidae 26
5.2 †Palaeotididae, †Remiornithidae, and †Eleutherornithidae 28
5.2.1 †Palaeotididae 28
5.2.2 Remiornithidae 29
5.2.3 †Eleutherornithidae 30
5.3 Eremopezidae 31
5.4 Rheidae (Rheas) 32
5.5 Casuariidae (Emus and Cassowaries) 33
5.6 Putative Ratite from the Eocene of Antarctica 33
6 Galloanseres 35
6.1 Galliformes (Landfowl) 35
6.1.1 †Gallinuloididae 36
6.1.2 †Paraortygidae 40
6.1.3 †Procrax, †Archaealectrornis, and †Palaeonossax 41
6.1.4† Quercymegapodiidae 41
6.1.5 Megapodiidae (Megapodes) 42
6.1.6 Phasianidae (Grouse, Quails, Pheasants, and Allies) 42
6.2 †Gastornithidae 44
6.3 Dromornithidae 47
6.4 Anseriformes (Waterfowl) 48
6.4.1 Anhimidae (Screamers) 48
6.4.2 Anseranatidae (Magpie Geese) 49
6.4.3 †Presbyornithidae 51
6.4.4 Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Swans) 53
6.5 †Pelagornithidae (Bony-Toothed Birds) 55
7 Aquatic and Semiaquatic Taxa 61
7.1 Fregatidae (Frigatebirds) and Suloidea (Gannets, Boobies, Cormorants, and Anhingas) 61
7.1.1 †Protoplotidae 62
7.1.2 Fregatidae (Frigatebirds) 63
7.1.3 Sulidae (Gannets and Boobies) 64
7.1.4 Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants) and Anhingidae (Anhingas) 65
7.2 †Plotopteridae 67
7.3 Sphenisciformes (Penguins) 70
7.4 Gaviiformes (Loons)75
7.5 Procellariiformes (Tubenoses) 76
7.6 Scopidae (Hamerkop), Balaenicipitidae (Shoebill), and Pelecanidae (Pelicans) 80
7.7 Ardeidae (Herons) 80
7.8 †Xenerodiopidae 81
7.9 Threskiornithidae (Ibises) 81
7.10 Ciconiidae (Storks) 84
7.11 Prophaethontidae and Phaethontidae (Tropicbirds) 84
8 Charadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies) 87
8.1 Lari (Gulls, Auks, and Allies) 88
8.2 Charadrii (Plovers and Allies) 89
8.3 Scolopaci (Sandpipers and Allies) 90
9 "Core-Gruiformes" (Rails, Cranes, and Allies) 93
9.1 †Messelornithidae and †Walbeckornis 93
9.2 Ralloidea (Finfoots and Rails) 96
9.3 Gruoidea (Trumpeters, Limpkins, and Cranes) 99
9.3.1 †Parvigruidae 100
9.3.2 †Geranoididae 101
9.3.3 †Eogruidae 102
9.3.4 Aramidae (Limpkins) and Gruidae (Cranes) 103
10 Phoenicopteriformes (Flamingos) and Podicipediformes (Grebes) 105
11 Columbiformes (Doves and Sandgrouse), Cuculiformes (Cuckoos), and Other Neoavian Taxa of Uncertain Affinities 111
11.1 Columbiformes (Doves and Sandgrouse) 111
11.2 Opisthocomiformes (Hoatzin) 112
11.3 †Foratidae 112
11.4 Musophagiformes (Turacos) 113
11.5 Cuculiformes (Cuckoos) 113
11.6 †Pumiliornis and †Morsoravis 114
11.7 †Parvicuculidae 115
11.8 Otididae (Bustards), Eurypygidae (Sunbittern), Rhynochetidae (Kagu), and Mesitornithidae (Mesites) 116
12 "Caprimulgiformes" and Apodiformes (Nightjars and Allies, Swifts, and Hummingbirds) 119
12.1 †Fluvioviridavidae 119
12.2 Steatornithidae (Oilbirds) 124
12.3 Podargidae (Frogmouths) 124
12.4 Protocypselomorphus 125
12.5 †Archaeotrogonidae 126
12.6 Nyctibiidae (Potoos) and Caprimulgidae (Nightjars) 128
12.6.1 Nyctibiidae 128
12.6.2 Caprimulgidae 128
12.7 Aegothelidae (Owlet-Nightjars) and Apodiformes (Swifts and Hummingbirds) 129
12.7.1 †Eocypselidae 130
12.7.2 †Aegialornithidae 132
12.7.3 Hemiprocnidae (Tree Swifts) and Apodidae (True Swifts) 133
12.7.4 Trochilidae (Hummingbirds) 135
13 Cariamae (Seriemas and Allies) 139
13.1 †Phorusrhacidae 139
13.2 †Idiornithidae and †Elaphrocnemus 142
13.3 †Bathornithidae 146
13.4 †Ameghinornithidae 148
13.5 †Salmilidae 150
13.6 Gradiornis 152
14 "Falconiformes" (Diurnal Birds of Prey) 153
14.1 Falconidae (Falcons) 153
14.2 †Masillaraptor 155
14.3 †Teratornithidae and Cathartidae (New Word Vultures) 156
14.4 †Horusornithidae 158
14.5 Sagittariidae (Secretary Birds), Pandionidae (Ospreys), and Accipitridae (Hawks and Allies) 158
14.5.1 Sagittariidae 158
14.5.2 Accipitridae and Pandionidae 159
15 Strigiformes (Owls) 163
15.1 †Berruornis and †Sophiornithidae 163
15.2 †Protostrigidae 164
15.3 †Ogygoptyngidae 165
15.4 †Necrobyinae, †Palaeoglaucidae, and †Selenornithinae 166
16 Arboreal Birds 169
16.1 Leptosomidae (Courols) 169
16.2 Coliiformes (Mousebirds) 171
16.2.1 †Sandcoleidae 172
16.2.2 Coliidae 172
16.3 Psittaciformes (Parrots) 177
16.3.1 †Psittacopes and Allies 177
16.3.2 †Quercypsittidae 179
16.3.3 †Halcyornithidae ("Pseudasturidae") 180
16.3.4 †Messelasturidae 183
16.4 †Zygodactylidae and Passeriformes (Passerines) 184
16.4.1 †Zygodactylidae 185
16.4.2 Passeriformes 189
16.5 Trogoniformes (Trogons) 191
16.6 Bucerotes (Hornbills, Hoopoes, and Woodhoopoes) 191
16.7 Coraciidae/Brachypteraciidae (Rollers and Ground Rollers) 194
16.7.1 †Primobucconidae 195
16.7.2 †Eocoraciidae and †Geranopteridae 195
16.8 Alcediniformes (Bee-Eaters, Kingfishers, Todies, and Motmots) 197
16.9 Piciformes (Jacamars, Puffbirds, Woodpeckers, and Allies) 199
16.9.1 †Sylphornithidae 200
16.9.2 Pici 201
16.10 †Gracilitarsidae 201
16.11 †Cladornithidae 203
17 Paleogene Avifaunas: Synopsis of General Aspects 205
17.1 Continental Avifaunas of the Northern Hemisphere 205
17.1.1 Biogeography 205
17.1.2 Climatic Cooling and Avifaunal Turnovers 208
17.2 Continental Avifaunas of the Southern Hemisphere 209
17.2.1 Biogeography 209
17.2.2 Extant Southern Hemisphere "Endemics" in the Paleogene of the Northern Hemisphere 213
17.3 Ecological Interactions 214
17.3.1 Mammalian Evolution and Terrestrial Avifaunas 214
17.3.2 The Impact of Passerines on the Diversity of Paleogene Avian Insectivores 216
17.3.3 Marine Avifaunas 217
Appendix 221
References 227
Index 255