Plotopteridae

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Plotopterids
Temporal range: Eocene – Miocene
~Priabonian–Burdigalian
Fossil of sternum of Copepteryx from Kitahata Karatsu Japan.JPG
Copepteryx
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Suliformes
Family:† Plotopteridae
Howard, 1969
Genera

Plotopteridae [1] is an extinct family of flightless seabirds with uncertain placement, generally considered as member of order Suliformes. [2] They exhibited remarkable convergent evolution with the penguins, particularly with the now extinct giant penguins. [3] [4] That they lived in the North Pacific, the other side of the world from the penguins, has led to them being described at times as the Northern Hemisphere's penguins, though they were not closely related. More recent studies have shown, however, that the shoulder-girdle, forelimb and sternum of plotopterids differ significantly from those of penguins, so comparisons in terms of function may not be entirely accurate. [5] Plotopterids are regarded as closely related to Anhingidae (darters) and Phalacrocoracidae (cormorants). [2] On the other hand, there is a theory that this group may have a common ancestor with penguins due to the similarity of forelimb and brain morphology. [2] [6] [7] However, the endocast morphology of stem group Sphenisciformes differs from both Plotopteridae and modern penguins. [8]

Their fossils have been found in California, Oregon, [9] Washington, [10] [11] British Columbia, [12] Hokkaido, Tōhoku, Chūbu, Kyushu. [13] They seem to have evolved on arctic islands during the mid-Eocene, spreading southwards with the formation of kelp forests [14] They ranged in size from that of a large cormorant (such as a Brandt's cormorant), to very large size, with femur length two times longer than emperor penguin. [2] They had shortened wings optimised for underwater wing-propelled pursuit diving (like penguins or the now extinct great auk), and a body skeleton similar to that of the darter.

Tonsala hildegardae fossils Tonsala hildegardae.png
Tonsala hildegardae fossils

The second species to be named from rocks along the eastern Pacific Ocean was Tonsala hildegardae [15] from the late Oligocene lower part of the Pysht Formation in Washington State. More fossils of T. hildegardae have since been described [16] [17] and included some of the first known examples of borings made by the marine bone-eating worm Osedax in bird bones. [18]

Reconstruction of Copepteryx. Copepteryx hexeris.jpg
Reconstruction of Copepteryx .

The earliest known member of the family, Phocavis maritimus lived in the late Eocene, but most of the known species lived during Oligocene time, becoming extinct in the early to mid-Miocene. That they became extinct at the same time as the giant penguins of the Southern Hemisphere, which also coincided with the radiation of the seals and dolphins, has led to speculation that the expansion of marine mammals was responsible for the extinction of the Plotopteridae, though this has not been formally tested.

Related Research Articles

Polarornis is a genus of prehistoric bird, possibly an anserimorph. It contains a single species Polarornis gregorii, known from incomplete remains of one individual found on Seymour Island, Antarctica, in rocks which are dated to the Late Cretaceous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pelagornithidae</span> Extinct family of seabirds

The Pelagornithidae, commonly called pelagornithids, pseudodontorns, bony-toothed birds, false-toothed birds or pseudotooth birds, are a prehistoric family of large seabirds. Their fossil remains have been found all over the world in rocks dating between the Early Paleocene and the Pliocene-Pleistocene boundary.

Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because humans have encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred or were published in the year 1996.

Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because humans have encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred or were published in the year 1999.

Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because humans have encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred or were published in the year 1980.

<i>Copepteryx</i> Extinct genus of birds

Copepteryx is an extinct genus of flightless bird of the family Plotopteridae, endemic to Japan during the Oligocene living from 28.4 to 23 mya, meaning it existed for approximately 5.4 million years.

Cyphornis is a genus of the prehistoric pseudotooth birds. These were probably rather close relatives of either pelicans and storks, or of waterfowl, and are here placed in the order Odontopterygiformes to account for this uncertainty.

<i>Dasornis</i> Extinct genus of birds

Dasornis is a genus of prehistoric pseudotooth birds. These were probably close relatives of either pelicans and storks or waterfowl; they are placed in the order Odontopterygiformes to account for this uncertainty.

<i>Pelagornis</i> Extinct genus of birds

Pelagornis is a widespread genus of prehistoric pseudotooth birds. These were probably rather close relatives of either pelicans and storks, or waterfowl, and are placed here in the order Odontopterygiformes to account for this uncertainty.

Pseudodontornis is a rather disputed genus of the prehistoric pseudotooth birds. The pseudotooth birds or pelagornithids were probably rather close relatives of either pelicans and storks, or of waterfowl, and are here placed in the order Odontopterygiformes to account for this uncertainty. Up to five species are commonly recognized in this genus.

<i>Hokkaidornis</i> Extinct genus of birds

Hokkaidornis is an extinct genus of penguin-like plotopterid from the Late Oligocene of Hokkaido, Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bathornithidae</span> Extinct family of birds

Bathornithidae is an extinct family of birds from the Eocene to Miocene of North America. Part of Cariamiformes, they are related to the still extant seriemas and the extinct Phorusrhacidae. They were likely similar in habits, being terrestrial, long-legged predators, some of which attained massive sizes.

<i>Plotopterum</i>

Plotopterum is an extinct genus of flightless seabird of the family Plotopteridae, native to the North Pacific during the Late Oligocene and the Early Miocene. The only described species is Plotopterum joaquinensis.

<i>Tonsala</i> Extinct genus of Plotopteridae

Tonsala is an extinct genus of Plotopteridae, a family of flightless seabird similar in biology with penguins, but more closely related to modern cormorants. The genus is known from terrains dated from the Late Oligocene of the State of Washington and Japan.

<i>Phocavis</i> Extinct genus of Plotopteridae

Phocavis is an extinct genus of flightless seabird, belonging to the family Plotopteridae, and distantly related with modern cormorants. Its fossils, found in the Keasey Formation in Oregon, are dated from the Late Eocene.

Stemec is an extinct genus of Plotopteridae, a family of flightless seabird similar in biology with penguins, but more closely related to modern cormorants. The genus is known from terrains dated from the Late Oligocene Sooke Formation of British Columbia

<i>Olympidytes</i> Extinct genus of Plotopteridae

Olympidytes is an extinct genus of Plotopteridae, a family of large, flightless marine bird superficially similar to modern penguins but more closely related to cormorants and gannets. It lived during the Late Eocene or the Early Oligocene, in what is today the State of Washington and Japan.

Stenornis is an extinct genus of Plotopteridae, a family of large-sized, flightless seabirds native from the North Pacific during the Paleogene and the earliest Neogene. The remains of Stenornis have been found in Oligocene rocks of the Jinnobaru Formation on Hikoshima and the Ashiya Group on Ainoshima, Japan.

<i>Klallamornis</i> Extinct genus of American flightless birds

Klallamornis is an extinct genus of Plotopteridae, a family of large, flightless birds related to modern cormorants, darters, gannets, and boobies. This genus included the largest North American plotopterids. Its remains can be found in Late Eocene to Late Oligocene rocks from the Makah Formation, the overlying Pysht Formation and the Lincoln Creek Formation of the State of Washington. During its existence, Klallamornis was the largest plotopterid on the North American continent. The first fossil remains attributed to the taxon were collected in 1983, although the genus wasn't described until 2016.

References

  1. ↑ Howard, H. (1969). "A new avian fossil from Kern County, California" (PDF). Condor . 71 (1): 68–69. doi:10.2307/1366050. JSTOR   1366050.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Mori, Hirotsugu; Miyata, Kazunori (2021). "Early Plotopteridae Specimens (Aves) from the Itanoura and Kakinoura Formations (Latest Eocene to Early Oligocene), Saikai, Nagasaki Prefecture, Western Japan". Paleontological Research. 25 (2): 145–159. doi:10.2517/2020PR018. ISSN   1342-8144. S2CID   233029559.
  3. ↑ Olson, Storrs L.; Hasegawa, Yoshikazu (1979). "Fossil Counterparts of Giant Penguins from the North Pacific". Science . 206 (4419): 688–689. Bibcode:1979Sci...206..688O. doi:10.1126/science.206.4419.688. PMID   17796934. S2CID   12404154.
  4. ↑ Olson, Storrs L. & Hasegawa, Yoshikazu (1996). "A new genus and two new species of gigantic Plotopteridae from Japan (Aves: Pelecaniformes)". J. Vertebr. Paleontol. 16 (4): 742–751. Bibcode:1996JVPal..16..742O. doi:10.1080/02724634.1996.10011362.
  5. ↑ Tatsuro et al., New Skeletal Remains of Plotopterids from Japan, SVP 2015
  6. ↑ Kawabe, Soichiro; Ando, Tatsuro; Endo, Hideki (2014). "Enigmatic affinity in the brain morphology between plotopterids and penguins, with a comprehensive comparison among water birds". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 170 (3): 467–493. doi:10.1111/zoj.12072. ISSN   1096-3642.
  7. ↑ Mayr, Gerald; Goedert, James L.; Vogel, Olaf (2015-07-04). "Oligocene plotopterid skulls from western North America and their bearing on the phylogenetic affinities of these penguin-like seabirds". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 35 (4): e943764. Bibcode:2015JVPal..35E3764M. doi:10.1080/02724634.2014.943764. ISSN   0272-4634. S2CID   83729696.
  8. ↑ Mayr, Gerald; Goedert, James L.; Pietri, Vanesa L. De; Scofield, R. Paul (2021). "Comparative osteology of the penguin-like mid-Cenozoic Plotopteridae and the earliest true fossil penguins, with comments on the origins of wing-propelled diving". Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research. 59 (1): 264–276. doi: 10.1111/jzs.12400 . ISSN   1439-0469.
  9. ↑ Goedert, James L. (1988). "A new late Eocene species of Plototpteridae (Aves: Pelecaniformes) from northwestern Oregon". Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences. 45: 97–102.
  10. ↑ Gerald Mayr & James L. Goedert (2016). "New late Eocene and Oligocene remains of the flightless, penguin-like plotopterids (Aves, Plotopteridae) from western Washington State, U.S.A.". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 36 (4): e1163573. Bibcode:2016JVPal..36E3573M. doi:10.1080/02724634.2016.1163573. S2CID   88129671.
  11. ↑ Mayr, Gerald; Goedert, James L. (2018). "First record of a tarsometatarsus of Tonsala hildegardae (Plotopteridae) and other avian remains from the late Eocene/early Oligocene of Washington State (USA)". Geobios. 51 (1): 51–59. Bibcode:2018Geobi..51...51M. doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2017.12.006.
  12. ↑ Gary Kaiser; Junya Watanabe & Marji Johns (2015). "A new member of the family Plotopteridae (Aves) from the late Oligocene of British Columbia, Canada". Palaeontologia Electronica. 18 (3): Article number 18.3.52A.
  13. ↑ "西海市から発見された世界最古級のペンギンモドキの化石について" (PDF) (Press release). 西海市教育委員会、蒲郡市教育委員会、福井県立恐竜博物館. 2020-08-18. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
  14. ↑ Mayr, G.; Goedert, J. (2021). "New late Eocene and Oligocene plotopterid fossils from Washington State (USA), with a revision of "Tonsala" buchanani (Aves, Plotopteridae)". Journal of Paleontology. (e1163573) online preview: 224–236. doi:10.1017/jpa.2021.81. S2CID   240582610.
  15. ↑ Olson, Storrs L. (1980). "A new genus of penguin-like pelecaniform bird from the Oligocene of Washington (Pelecaniformes: Plotopteridae)". Contributions in Science. 330: 51–57. doi: 10.5962/p.208144 . S2CID   4803730.
  16. ↑ Goedert, James L.; Cornish, John (2002). "A preliminary report on the diversity and stratigraphic distribution of the Plotopteridae (Pelecaniformes) in Paleogene rocks of Washington State, USA". Proceedings of the 5th Symposium of the Society of Avian Paleontology and Evolution, Beijing: 63–76.
  17. ↑ Mayr, Gerald; Goedert, James L. (2017). "First record of a tarsometatarsus of Tonsala hildegardae (Plotopteridae) and other avian remains from the late Eocene/early Oligocene of Washington State (USA)". Geobios. 51 (1): 51–59. Bibcode:2018Geobi..51...51M. doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2017.12.006.
  18. ↑ Kiel, Steffen; Kahl, W.-A.; Goedert, James L. (2011). "Osedax borings in fossil marine bird bones". Naturwissenschaften. 98 (1): 51–55. Bibcode:2011NW.....98...51K. doi:10.1007/s00114-010-0740-5. PMC   3018246 . PMID   21103978.
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