Halcyornithidae

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Halcyornithidae
Temporal range: Early Eocene
Serudaptus NHMW.jpg
Cast of the holotype of Serudaptus, a halcyornithid, at the Natural History Museum of Vienna
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Clade: Eufalconimorphae
Family:† Halcyornithidae
Harrison & Walker, 1972
Genera
Synonyms

Pseudasturidae (Mayr, 2002)

Halcyornithidae is an extinct family of telluravian birds thought to be related to the Psittaciformes (parrots), Passeriformes (songbirds), and to the extinct Messelasturidae. Halcyornithids have been found in various Eocene formations in Europe and North America. Widespread and diverse in the Early Eocene of North America and Europe, halcyornithids are not found in locales later than the Middle Eocene. Halcyornithids were small, arboreal birds with zygodactyl feet, with two toes facing forwards and two facing back, a trait shared with other tree-dwelling families of Eocene birds like the Zygodactylidae and the messelasturids. The skull of halcyornithids features a ridge of bone above the eye called the supraorbital process, similar to birds of prey. [1] [2] The relationships of the halcyornithids to other birds remain uncertain. Halcyornithids have been proposed as relatives to owls and as a lineage closer to parrots than to songbirds. Most recently, halcyornithids have been identified as the sister group of the clade including parrots and songbirds. It is also possible that Halcyornithidae is paraphyletic with respect to the Messelasturidae. [1]

Contents

Description

Halcyornithids are recognisable by details of the skull and limbs. The tarsometatarsus, the lowermost bone of the leg, is short and shaped like those of parrots. The distal end of the tarsometatarsus has a projection of bone that supports the fourth toe, which is reversed and faces backwards. [3] Unlike in parrots, however, this projection is not separated by a groove from the rest of the trochlea supporting the other toes. The third toe is strongly built, more so than the others. The humerus is long and slender, and the coracoid is shaped like that found in owls, and has a foramen for the supracoracoideus nerve. [2]

The skulls of halcyornithids bear a prominent shelf of bone above the upper margin of the eye, the supraorbital process, comparable to that present in falcons and other birds of prey. One proposed function of the supraorbital process is mechanical protection of the eyeball from injury, for example, such as might be caused by struggling prey animals being killed with the beak. [1] The morphology of the head is overall similar to that of messelasturids, but in halcyornithids, the mandible is proportionally much longer. [4]

Distribution

A high diversity of halcyornithid birds is found in the Eocene London Clay in England, from sites near Walton-on-the-Naze and the Isle of Sheppey. Of the specimens collected from that location, almost none do not bear minor morphological dissimilarities to others, indicating that there were likely many species living in the area, comprising an adaptive radiation. [1] Halcyornithids are also known from the Messel Pit, in Germany, where specimens likewise exhibit diversity. [5] [1] Other halcyornithid-bearing sites in Europe include the Geisel Valley of Germany, which has produced the most recent evidence of halcyornithids, of Middle Eocene age, the Fur Formation in Denmark, and the Egem in Belgium. From the Menat in France is a skeleton tentatively believed to be a halcyornithid, which may also be of Paleocene age. In the North America, halcyornithids have been found in the Green River Formation of the US state of Utah as well as the Nanjemoy Formation of the state of Virginia. [1]


Classification

Placement of the Halcyornithidae after Ksepka et. al, 2019. [6]

Cariamiformes (seriemas and kin)

Falconiformes (falcons)

Halcyornithidae

Psittaciformes (parrots)

Psittacopedidae

Zygodactylidae

Passeriformes (songbirds)

Internal classification of the Halcyornithidae and Messelasturidae after Mayr & Kitchener, 2022. [7]

Pseudasturides

Cyrilavis

Serudaptus

Messelasturidae

Messelastur

Tynskya

Related Research Articles

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<i>Masillaraptor</i> Extinct genus of falcons

Masillaraptor is an extinct genus of masillaraptorid, a group of primitive falconiforms, from the Middle Eocene Messel Pit, Germany. It is a long-legged relative of the living falcons.

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

Lithornis is a genus of extinct paleognathous birds. Although Lithornis was able to fly well, their closest relatives are the extant tinamous and ratites.

Psittacopes is an extinct genus of bird from Middle Eocene. One species is recorded from Messel, Germany, and other three possible species are from London Clay, England, one named ?Psittacopes occidentalis in 2022, and the other two unnamed. Its phylogenetic placement within Aves is uncertain; it was originally interpreted as a parrot, but the phylogenetic analysis conducted by Mayr (2015) recovered it as more closely related to the passerines and the extinct family Zygodactylidae.

Eurofluvioviridavis is a genus of extinct primitive birds from the Middle Eocene Messel Pit, Germany. It contains a single species, Eurofluvioviridavis robustipes. It is related to Avolatavis and Vastanavis, other members of the family Vastanavidae.

Avolatavis is an extinct genus of stem-parrot (pan-psittaciform) or a member of the stem group of Psittacopasseres, known from the early Eocene Fossil Butte Member of the Green River Formation of Wyoming, United States, and from the London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze. It was first named by Daniel T. Ksepka and Julia A. Clarke in 2012 and the type species is Avolatavis tenens. Gerald Mayr and Andrew C. Kitchener described the second species, A. europaeus, in 2023. Mayr and Kitchener assigned Avolatavis to the family Vastanavidae, which might be early diverging stem group presentatives of Pan-Psittaciformes or stem group representatives of Psittacopasseres.

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

Messelasturidae is an extinct family of birds known from the Eocene of North America and Europe. Their morphology is a mosaic that in some aspects are very similar to modern hawks and falcons, but in others are more similar to parrots. Initially interpreted as stem-owls, more recent studies have suggested a closer relationship to parrots and passerines. Their ecology is enigmatic.

Vastanavidae is an extinct family of birds related to parrots and passerine birds. They are known from fossils from Eocene sites in India, Europe, and North America. The vastanavids resemble parrots and the extinct parrot relative Quercypsitta in their morphology, including the partially zygodactyl foot, in which two toes could face opposite the other two.

Morsoravis is an extinct genus of neoavian bird from the Early Eocene Fur Formation of Denmark. It contains a single named species, Morsoravis sedilis. Fossils of Morsoravis have also been found in the Green River Formation of Wyoming and possibly the Nanjemoy Formation of Virginia.

Danielsraptor is an extinct genus of masillaraptorid bird from the Early Eocene (Ypresian) Walton Member of the London Clay Formation in Essex, United Kingdom. The genus contains a single species, D. phorusrhacoides, known from a partial skeleton.

<i>Ypresiglaux</i> Extinct genus of strigiform birds

Ypresiglaux is an extinct genus of strigiform bird from the Early Eocene London Clay Formation of Essex, United Kingdom and Nanjemoy Formation of Virginia, United States. The genus contains two species: Y. michaeldanielsi, known from a partial skeleton, and Y. gulottai, known from a distal tarsometatarsus.

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

Lutavis is an extinct genus of potentially afroavian bird from the Early Eocene London Clay Formation of Essex, United Kingdom. The genus contains a single species, L. platypelvis, known from a partial skeleton.

<i>Psittacomimus</i> Extinct genus of psittacopedid birds

Psittacomimus is an extinct genus of psittacopedid bird from the Early Eocene London Clay Formation of Essex, United Kingdom. The genus contains a single species, P. eos, known from a partial skeleton.

Cyrilavis is an extinct genus of halcyornithid bird from the Early Eocene Fossil Butte Member of the Green River Formation, United States. The genus contains two species, Cyrilavis olsoni and Cyrilavis colburnorum.

Pulchrapollia is an extinct genus of halcyornithid bird from the Early Eocene London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze, United Kingdom and the Nanjemoy Formation of Virginia, United States. The genus contains three species, Pulchrapollia gracilis, Pulchrapollia tenuipes and Pulchrapollia eximia.

Pseudasturides is an extinct genus of halcyornithid bird from the Middle Eocene Messel pit in Hesse, Germany, and possibly the Isle of Sheppey, United Kingdom. The genus is represented by a single species, Pseudasturides macrocephalus.

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

Serudaptus is an extinct genus of halcyornithid bird from the Middle Eocene Messel pit in Hesse, Germany. The genus contains one species, Serudaptus pohli, and is known for long, raptorial claws on its zygodactyl feet.

Parapsittacopes is an extinct genus of psittacopedid bird from the Early Eocene London Clay, United Kingdom. The genus contains one species, Parapsittacopes bergdahli.

Eofringillirostrum is an extinct species of bird known from the Early Eocene Green River Formation of the Western United States and from the Messel Pit in Germany. The genus contains two species, Eofringillirostrum boudreauxi and Eofringillirostrum parvulum. They are the earliest known fossil birds to have a finch-like beak.

Morsoravidae is a family of extinct birds known from the Early Eocene of Europe and North America, related to the Psittacopasseres, the clade containing parrots and songbirds. They have specialised feeding ecologies, and one morsoravid, Pumiliornis tesselatus, fed on nectar. The family contains the genera Morsoravis, Pumiliornis, and Sororavis.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mayr, Gerald; Kitchener, Andrew C. (2023-07-17). "The Halcyornithidae from the early Eocene London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex, UK): A species complex of Paleogene arboreal birds". Geobios. doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2023.06.003. ISSN   0016-6995. S2CID   259969084.
  2. 1 2 Mayr, Gerald (2022). Paleogene fossil birds. Fascinating life sciences (2nd ed.). Cham: Springer. ISBN   978-3-030-87644-9.
  3. ↑ Dyke, Gareth (2001). "Fossil pseudasturid birds (Aves, Pseudasturidae) from London Clay". Bulletin of the Natural History Museum, Geology Series. 57: 1–4 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  4. ↑ Mayr, G. (2000-01-01). "New or previously unrecorded avian taxa from the Middle Eocene of Messel (Hessen, Germany)". Fossil Record. 3 (1): 207–219. doi: 10.1002/mmng.20000030110 . ISSN   2193-0066.
  5. ↑ Mayr, Gerald (1998-10-01). "A new family of Eocene zygodactyl birds". Senckenbergiana Lethaea. 78 (1): 199–209. doi:10.1007/BF03042769. ISSN   0037-2110. S2CID   62901085.
  6. ↑ Ksepka, Daniel T.; Grande, Lance; Mayr, Gerald (2019-02-18). "Oldest Finch-Beaked Birds Reveal Parallel Ecological Radiations in the Earliest Evolution of Passerines". Current Biology. 29 (4): 657–663.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.12.040 . ISSN   0960-9822. PMID   30744971.
  7. ↑ Mayr, Gerald; Kitchener, Andrew C. (2022-11-14). "Psittacopedids and zygodactylids: The diverse and species-rich psittacopasserine birds from the early Eocene London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex, UK)". Historical Biology. 35 (12): 2372–2395. doi: 10.1080/08912963.2022.2141629 . ISSN   0891-2963.
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