Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-c47g7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T20:11:36.645Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Body mass estimations and paleobiological inferences on a new species of large Caracara (Aves, Falconidae) from the late Pleistocene of Uruguay

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2016

Washington Jones ,
Andrés Rinderknecht ,
Rafael Migotto  and
R. Ernesto Blanco
Washington Jones
Affiliation:
Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, CC. 399, 11.000, Montevideo, Uruguay, ; < apaleorinder@yahoo.com>
Andrés Rinderknecht
Affiliation:
Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, CC. 399, 11.000, Montevideo, Uruguay, ; < apaleorinder@yahoo.com>
Rafael Migotto
Affiliation:
Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão travessa 14, n° 321, 05508–900, São Paulo, Brazil,
R. Ernesto Blanco
Affiliation:
Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, CC. 399, 11.000, Montevideo, Uruguay, ; < apaleorinder@yahoo.com> Instituto de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Iguá 4225, Montevideo 11.400, Uruguay,
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The caracaras belong to a group of falconids with widespread geographical distribution in the Western Hemisphere, particularly in South America. Here we report fossil remains of a new species attributed to the genus Caracara from the late Pleistocene of Uruguay. This bird would have had an estimated body mass of 3700 grams, a value that greatly exceeds the maximum body mass reported for living falconids. Apparently, it would have had flying capabilities, in contrast to another paleospecies recently described from the Holocene of Jamaica. This fossil bird was found in association with mammal megafaunal remains and could offer new insights about the role of carnivorous birds in late Pleistocene environments of South America.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Paleontology , Volume 87 , Issue 1 , January 2013 , pp. 151 - 158
Copyright
Copyright © The Paleontological Society 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alexander, R. M. 1983. Allometry of the leg bones of moas (Dinornithes) and other birds. Journal of Zoology, 200:215–31.Google Scholar
Ameghino, F. 1895. Sur les oiseaux fossiles de Patagonie et la faune mammalogique des couche à Pyrotherium. Boletín del Instituto Geográfico Argentino, 15:501–660.Google Scholar
Anderson, J. F., Hall-Martin, A., and Russell, D. A. 1985. Long bone circumference and weight in mammals, birds and dinosaurs. Journal of Zoology, 207:53–61.Google Scholar
Banks, R. C. and Dove, C. J. 1992. The generic name for crested caracaras (Aves: Falconidae). Proceedings of Biological Society of Washington, 105:420–425.Google Scholar
Baumel, J. J. and Witmer, L. M. 1993. Osteology, p. 45–132. InBaumel, J. J., King, A. S., Brazile, J. E., Evans, H. H., and Vanden Berge, J. C.(eds.), Handbook of Avian Anatomy: Nomina Anatomica Avium, second edition. Publications of Nuttall Ornithological Club, Cambridge, Massachusetts.Google Scholar
Brodkorb, P. 1959. Pleistocene birds from New Providence Island, Bahamas. Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Science, 4:349–371.Google Scholar
Brodkorb, P. 1964. Catalogue of fossil birds: Part 2 (Anseriformes through Galliformes). Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences, 8:201–335.Google Scholar
Brown, L. and Amadon, D. 1968. Eagles, Hawks and Falcons of the World, two volumes. New York, McGraw-Hill, 759p.Google Scholar
Campbell, K. E. and Marcus, L. 1992. The relationship of hindlimb bone dimensions to body weight in birds, p. 395–412. InCampbell, K. E.(ed.), Papers in Avian Paleontology Honoring Pierce Brodkorb, Science Series Natural History Museum of Los Angeles City, 36.Google Scholar
Dove, C. J. and Banks, R. C. 1999. A taxonomic study of crested caracaras (Falconidae). Wilson Bulletin, 111:330–339.Google Scholar
Dunning, J. B. Jr., 2008. Handbook of Avian Body Masses, second edition. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, 655p.Google Scholar
Feduccia, A. 1999. The Origin and Evolution of Birds, second edition. Yale University Press, 466p.Google Scholar
Ferguson-Lees, J. and Christie, D. A. 2001. Raptors of the World. Boston, Houghton Mifflin Company, 992p.Google Scholar
Friedmann, H. 1950. The birds of North and Middle North America, Part XI. Bulletin of United States National Museum, 50:1–793.Google Scholar
Gervais, P. 1867. Sur une nouvelle collection d'ossaments fossiles de mammifères recueillies par M. F. Seguin dans la Conféderation Argentine. Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences, 65:279–282.Google Scholar
Greenewalt, C. H. 1962. Dimensional relationships for flying animals. Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, 144:1–46.Google Scholar
Greenway, J. C. Jr., 1967. Extinct and Vanishing Birds of the World. Dover, 520p.Google Scholar
Griffiths, C. S. 1999. Phylogeny of the Falconidae inferred from molecular and morphological data. Auk, 116:116–130.Google Scholar
Howard, H. 1929. The avifauna of Emeryville Shellmound. University of California Publications in Zoology, 32:301–394.Google Scholar
Howard, H. 1938. The Rancho La Brea caracara: a new species. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication, 487:217–240.Google Scholar
Jollie, M. 1976. A contribution of the morphology and phylogeny of Falconiformes. Evolutionary Theory, 1:285–296.Google Scholar
Leach, W. E. 1820. Systematic catalogue of the Specimens of the Indigenous Mammalia and Birds that are preserved at the British Museum. London, 42p+2.Google Scholar
Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae. Tenth edition, Vol. I : Regnum Animale. L. Salvii, Holmiae, Sweden, 824p.Google Scholar
Livezey, C. B. and Zusi, R. L. 2006. Higher-order phylogeny of modern birds (Theropoda, Aves: Neornithes) based on comparative anatomy: 1. Methods and characters. Bulletin of Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 37:1–544.Google Scholar
Martínez, S. and Ubilla, M. 2004. El Cuaternario de Uruguay, p. 195–228. InVerolsavsky, G., Ubilla, M., and Martínez, S.(eds.), Cuencas sedimentarias de Uruguay. Geología, paleontología y recursos naturales. Cenozoico. DIRAC, Facultad de Ciencias, Montevideo.Google Scholar
Merrem, B. 1826. Allgemeine Encyclopadie der Wissenschaften und Kunste in alphabetischer Folge von genannten Schriftstellern bearbeitet und hrsg. von J. S. Ersch und J. G. Gruber. Liepzig, 15:159–160.Google Scholar
Noriega, J. I., Areta, J. I., Vizcaíno, S. F., and Bargo, S. M. 2011. Phylogeny and taxonomy of the patagonian Miocene falcon Thegornis musculosus Ameghino, 1895 (Aves: Falconidae). Journal of Paleontology, 85:1089–1104.Google Scholar
Olson, S. L. 2008. A new species of large, terrestrial caracara from holocene deposits of in Southern Jamaica (Aves, Falconidae). Journal of Raptorial Research, 42:265–272.Google Scholar
Olson, S. L. and Hilgartner, W. B. 1982. Fossil and subfossil birds from the Bahamas, p. 22–56. InOlson, S. L.(ed.), Fossil vertebrates from the Bahamas. Smithsonian Contribution to Paleobiology, 48.Google Scholar
Owen, R. 1838. Fossil Mammalia, 1, p. iv+1–40. InRarwin, C.(ed.), The Zoology of the Voyage of H. M. S. Beagle.Google Scholar
Owen, R. 1839. Description of a tooth and part of the skeleton of the Glyptodon, a large quadruped of the edentate order, to which belongs the tessellated bony armour figured by Mr. Clift in his memoir on the remains of the Megatheirum, brought to England by Sir Woodbine Parish, F. G. S. Proceedings of the Geological Society of London, 3:108–113.Google Scholar
Palmqvist, P. and Vizcaíno, S. F. 2003. Ecological and reproductive constraints of body size in the gigantic Argentavis magnificens (Aves, Theratornithidae) from the Miocene of Argentina. Ameghiniana, 40:379–385.Google Scholar
Rayner, J. M. V. 1988. Form and function in avian flight. Current Ornithology, 5:1–66.Google Scholar
Rinderknecht, A. 1998. Nuevos microvertebrados fósiles para el Pleistoceno superior del Uruguay (Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves). Comunicaciones Paleontológicas del Museo de Historia Natural de Montevideo, 2:133–144.Google Scholar
Rinderknecht, A. 2006. Vertebrados fósiles de la costa uruguaya, p. 343–349. InMenafra, R., Rodríguez-Gallego, L., Scarabino, F., and Conde, D.(eds.), Bases para la conservación y el manejo de la costa uruguaya. Vida Silvestre Uruguay, Montevideo.Google Scholar
Sharpe, R. B. 1874. Catalogue of the birds in the British Museum. British Museum, London, 1:1–480.Google Scholar
Steadman, W. D., Franz, R., Morgan, G. S., Albury, N. A., Kakuk, B., Broad, K., Franz, S. E., Tinker, K., Pateman, M. P., Lott, T. A., Jarzen, D. L., and Dilcher, D. M. 2007. Exceptionally well preserved late Quaternary plant and vertebrate fossils from a blue hole on Abaco, The Bahamas. Proceedings of National Academy of Science, 104:19897–19902.Google Scholar
Suárez, W. and Olson, S. L. 2001. Further characterization of Caracara creightoni Brodkorb based on fossils from the Quaternary of Cuba (Aves: Falconidae). Proceedings of Biological Society of Washington, 114:501–508.Google Scholar
Suárez, W. and Olson, S. L. 2003. A new species of caracara (Milvago) from Quaternary asphalt deposits in Cuba, with notes on new material of Caracara creightoni Brodkorb (Aves: Falconidae). Proceedings of Biological Society of Washington, 116:301–307.Google Scholar
Thiollay, J. M. 1994. Family Accipitridae (Hawks and Eagles), p. 52–205. Indel Hoyo, J., Elliot, A. and Sargatal, J.(eds.), Handbook of the Birds of the World. New World Vultures to Guinea Fowls, 2. Lynx Editions, Barcelona.Google Scholar
Ubilla, M. 1999. Dataciones radiocarbónicas (C14) para la Fm. Dolores (Río Santa Lucía, Dpto. de Canelones, y A° Gutiérrez Chico, Dpto. de Río Negro) y comentarios sobre la fauna de vertebrados asociada. Revista de la Sociedad Uruguaya de Geología, 6:48–53.Google Scholar
Ubilla, M. 2007. Late Pleistocene of South America. Vertebrate Records, p. 3175–3189. InElías, S.(ed.), Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science, 4. Elsevier.Google Scholar
Ubilla, M. and Perea, D. 1999. Quaternary vertebrates of Uruguay: a biostratigraphic, biogeographic and climatic overview. Quaternary of South America and Antarctic Peninsula, 12:75–90.Google Scholar
Ubilla, M. and Rinderknecht, A. 2001. Consideraciones sobre el género Galea Meyen, 1831 (Rodentia, Caviidae), su registro en el pleistoceno de Uruguay y descripción de una nueva especie extinguida. Boletín de la Real Sociedad Española de Historia Natural (Sección Geológica), 96:111–122.Google Scholar
Wallace, M. P. and Temple, S. A. 1987. Competitive interactions within and between species in a guild of avian scavengers. Auk, 104:290–295.Google Scholar
Wetmore, A. 1920. Five new species of birds from cave deposits in Puerto Rico. Proceedings of Biological Society of Washington, 33:77–82.Google Scholar
White, C. M., Olsen, P. D., and Kiff, L. F. 1994. Family Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras), p. 216–275. Indel Hoyo, J., Elliot, A. and Sargatal, J.(eds.), Handbook of the Birds of the World. New World Vultures to Guinea Fowls, 2. Lynx Editions, Barcelona.Google Scholar