NEW FOSSIL PENGUINS (AVES, SPHENISCIFORMES) FROM THE OLIGOCENE OF NEW ZEALAND REVEAL THE SKELETAL PLAN OF STEM PENGUINS
NEW FOSSIL PENGUINS (AVES, SPHENISCIFORMES) FROM THE OLIGOCENE OF NEW ZEALAND REVEAL THE SKELETAL PLAN OF STEM PENGUINS
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DOI：
10.1080/02724634.2012.652051
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发表时间：
2012-01-01
影响因子：
1.4
通讯作者：
Jones, Craig M.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Ksepka, Daniel T.;Fordyce, R. Ewan;Jones, Craig M.
从新西兰渐新世晚期科科阿姆绿沙中采集的三具骨骼是已知最完整的古近纪企鹅骨骼之一。这些标本在这里被描述为 Kairuku waitaki，gen。等十一月，和 Kairuku grebneffi，sp。 11 月，揭示了与水下飞行相关的干企鹅骨骼关键元素的新细节，包括胸骨、鳍状肢和尾综骨。现在首次可以确定单个个体的躯干、鳍状肢和后肢的相对比例，从而深入了解干企鹅的身体结构，并改进对“巨型”类群尺寸估计的限制。凯鲁库的特征是细长而狭窄的胸骨、短而张开的喙骨、细长狭窄的鳍状肢和强壮的后肢。凯鲁库的尾综骨缺乏现存企鹅中所见的三角形横截面，这表明尾综骨以更典型的鸟类模式附着，而尾巴可能缺乏现存企鹅所利用的支撑功能。这里描述的新材料，以及对先前描述的标本的重新研究，解决了一些长期存在的系统发育、生物地理学和分类学问题，这些问题源于几种最早命名的企鹅化石物种的比较材料不足。一系列来自新西兰始新世-渐新世的部分相关骨骼在历史上被称为Palaeudyptes antarcticus 或Palaeudyptes sp。被认为至少有五个不同的物种：Palaeudyptes antarcticus、Palaeudyptes marplesi、Kairuku waitaki、Kairuku grebneffi 和一个未命名的 Burnside Formation 物种。
Three skeletons collected from the late Oligocene Kokoamu Greensand of New Zealand are among the most complete Paleogene penguins known. These specimens, described here as Kairuku waitaki, gen. et sp. nov., and Kairuku grebneffi, sp. nov., reveal new details of key elements of the stem penguin skeleton associated with underwater flight, including the sternum, flipper, and pygostyle. Relative proportions of the trunk, flippers, and hind limbs can now be determined from a single individual for the first time, offering insight into the body plan of stem penguins and improved constraints on size estimates for 'giant' taxa. Kairuku is characterized by an elongate, narrow sternum, a short and flared coracoid, an elongate narrow flipper, and a robust hind limb. The pygostyle of Kairuku lacks the derived triangular cross-section seen in extant penguins, suggesting that the rectrices attached in a more typical avian pattern and the tail may have lacked the propping function utilized by living penguins. New materials described here, along with re-study of previously described specimens, resolve several long-standing phylogenetic, biogeographic, and taxonomic issues stemming from the inadequate comparative material of several of the first-named fossil penguin species. An array of partial associated skeletons from the Eocene-Oligocene of New Zealand historically referred to Palaeeudyptes antarcticus or Palaeeudyptes sp. are recognized as at least five distinct species: Palaeeudyptes antarcticus, Palaeeudyptes marplesi, Kairuku waitaki, Kairuku grebneffi, and an unnamed Burnside Formation species.