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A traumatic fracture in a giant Eocene penguin from Antarctica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2012

Carolina Acosta Hospitaleche ,
Leandro M. Perez ,
Walter Acosta  and
Marcelo Reguero
Carolina Acosta Hospitaleche*
Affiliation:
Conicet División Paleontología de Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, B1900FWA La Plata, Argentina
Leandro M. Perez
Affiliation:
Conicet División Paleozoología Invertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, B1900FWA La Plata, Argentina
Walter Acosta
Affiliation:
Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, 60 y 118 s/n B1900FWA, La Plata, Argentina
Marcelo Reguero
Affiliation:
Conicet División Paleontología de Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, B1900FWA La Plata, Argentina Instituto Antártico Argentino, Cerrito 1248, C1010AAZ, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
*
acostacaro@fcnym.unlp.edu.ar
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Abstract

A fractured femur of a giant fossil penguin from the Anthropornis nordenskjoeldi Biozone (Late Eocene), Isla Marambio (Seymour Island), Antarctica (La Meseta Formation) is described. Palaeoecological, palaeopathological and taphonomical implications derived from the analysis of the kinds of fractures identified are also discussed. The main fracture has irregular margins, indicating there was collagen in the bone at the time of the impact. In this fracture, a mineral deposit was also identified as a fracture hematoma. According to the antemortem classification of fractures, it was produced by an indirect mechanism, provocating a “butterfly wing” or “third fragment” fracture. The remaining fractures are assigned to times of biostratinomic and fossil diagenesis.

Keywords

fossil SpheniscidaepalaeoecologypalaeopathologySeymour Islandweathering
Type
Earth Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 24 , Issue 6 , December 2012 , pp. 619 - 624
Copyright
Copyright © Antarctic Science Ltd 2012

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