Kurrartapu

Last updated

Kurrartapu johnnguyeni
Temporal range: Early Miocene 23–16  Ma
Kurrartapu.png
Illustration of holotype tarsometatarsus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Artamidae
Genus: Kurrartapu
Nguyen, 2013
Species:
K. johnnguyeni
Binomial name
Kurrartapu johnnguyeni
Nguyen, 2013

Kurrartapu johnnguyeni is an extinct species of bird in the Australian magpie and butcherbird family. It was described from Early Miocene material (a proximal tarsometatarsus) found at Riversleigh in north-western Queensland, Australia. It is the first Tertiary record of a cracticid from Australia. The size of the fossil material indicates that it was similar in size to the living black butcherbird. The generic name is a Kalkatungu language term for the Australian magpie. The specific epithet honours John Nguyen, the father of the senior describer. [1]

Contents

Description

Based on shared traits between the black butcherbird and Australian magpie it is possible that the Kurrartapu also shared their glossy dark feathers and had calls similar to modern currawongs. [2] Contemporary cracticid colouration ranges from predominantly black with some white to gray. [3] Round wings, like those of the black butcherbird and peltops, are typical of denser forest inhabitatants, [2] and the closed rainforest that covered Australia in the early miocene [1] make this trait far more likely than pointy wings, which are characteristic of other open-dwelling cracticids. [2]

Bones

Regarding bones, the discovered proximal tarsometatarsus demonstrates similar elongation to that of the black butcherbird. [1] This predates previously believed divergence between cracticids and the peltops and woodswallows. [1] It is possible it also had a deep temporal fossa, as this trait is shared by black butcherbirds and Australian magpies today. [2] The incomplete ossification found on the tarsometatarsi is an ancestral trait unique to the streptera-cracticus clade, [1] for reference ossification of tendons in woodcreepers is shown to be adaptive for climbing, as ossification serves to reduce heavy wear and tear. [4]

Taxonomy

The genus Kurrartapu belongs to the family Cracticidae. Kurrartapu are more closely related to other members of Cracticidae than those of artamidae. [1] Cracticids include currawongs, butcherbirds, and peltops. [1] Cracticids are part of the assemblage Malaconotoidea [1] within Corvoidea. [5] Corvoidea are believed to have originated in Australasia. [6] Other members of Malaconotoidea include the helmet shrikes, the batises, the vangas, the Asian ioras, the African bushshrikes, and the woodswallows. [1] It is hypothesized that the last common ancestor of Artamidae, vangas, and cracticids (alive in the Paleogene) may have been stout with long pointy wings, a decurved bill, and sexually monomorphic. [3]

The woodswallows are sometimes grouped within the family Cracticidae, though these two lineages may have diverged roughly 20-36.3 million years ago. [1] This grouping is supported by morphological analyses and weakly supported by limited DNA studies, [1] more comprehensive genetic analysis disproves this nesting, [1] and so the two may be sister taxa. [7] This remains disputed however, as recent mitochondrial phylogeny instead supports a sister relationship between cracticids and African bushshrikes and allies. [1] Additionally the mottled berryhunter may be another sister taxa to cracticids. [8]

Within the cracticids, the morphology of the tarsometatarsus suggests the Kurrartapu is more closely related to currawongs and butcherbirds, [1] who diverged likely in the mid Miocene. [9] The currawongs appear to have evolved earlier than the butcherbirds, [5] which is possibly indicative as to which group shares more traits with the Kurrartapu.

Distribution and habitat

The Kurrartapu fossil was found in the early Miocene deposit of Riversleigh. [1] Australia then was experiencing the effects of the global warming phase which followed the melting of the polar ice caps. [10] Plant and animal fossils also found in the deposit are closely related to extant rainforest (subtropical and tropical closed forest) dwelling species. [10] During the early Miocene, fossils suggest central Australian lakes and swamps hosted sclerophyll forests, dominated by acacia, casuarina, and eucalyptus. [10] In temperate rainforests, the canopy consisted mainly of coniferous podocorp and araucarian, and deciduous nothofagus trees, with an understory of tree ferns (predominately cyatheacean and dicksoniacean), along with a diversity of other flora. [10] The rich diversity of the early miocene Australian forests approximates that of modern lowlands in Borneo. [10] These forests were forever wet, and ranged between warm and cool temperatures. [10] At this time (the early Miocene) Australia had broken off from Gondwana. [11] This implies the Kurrartapu was restricted to the continent, and likely resided within the widespread rainforests aboard. Similar to the non-migratory black butcherbird, [12] peltops, [13] and extant Australian magpie [14] one might assume the Kurrartapu was equally sedentary, although contemporary currawongs do undertake altitudinal migration. [15] [16] [17]

Demise

The Kurrartapus likely diminished with the rainforest habitat loss accompanying increasing aridification and expansion of the savannas that occurred in the mid and late miocene. [9] Gondwana's break-up and the movement of the continents altered ocean currents and precipitated the icehouse conditions that brought reduced rainfall, cool temperatures, and extinction to many lineages. [10]

Behaviour

Based on a comparison between currawongs and the Australian magpie, one might infer that Kurrartapus were also territorial and possibly flocked. [18] It is likely they also cached food, as do the currawongs, butcherbirds, and Australian magpies. [19] Based on membership to the cracticid taxa, it can be imagined that the Kurrartapu may have had lifespans which potentially exceeded 15 years, and took a year to reach sexual maturity. [5] It is possible juvenile Kurrartapus were heavily dependent on their parents, and engaged in play like fellow cracticids. [20] [21] Engagement in play, along with passive mirror engagement (tapping, looking behind, investigating) and problem-solving abilities of butcherbirds evince the potential intelligence shared by the group. [22] It is likely that Kurrartapus were hoppers, and navigated the ground by moving legs in parallel synchronization, as do butcherbirds and currawongs, although Australian magpies have developed bipedalism, able to walk and sprint. [5]

Diet

Like other cracticids, they were probably predatory omnivores, generalists and active in the daytime, feeding mainly on invertebrates and carrion, though consuming smaller vertebrates and fruits as well. [1] Observations of Australian magpie and pied-billed currawong diets show heavy invertebrate consumption (predominantly beetles, ants, moths, caterpillars, orthopterans, and spiders), though the pied-billed currawongs consumed fruit significantly as well. [23]

Vocalizations

It can be hypothesized based on closest living relatives that the Kurrartapu had a similar call to present day currawongs. [2] For example, the black currawong has a call that rises slightly, falls sharply and rises again dramatically, described as "kar-week-kar kar-week-week-kar" along with numerous croaks and whistles. [24] In addition to the hypothesized relatedness distance based on bone morphology, [1] the differing call of peltops may be even less relevant here as peltops are somewhat outliers to the cracticids, with behaviour similar to that of large flycatchers. [25]

Reproduction

Cracticids are cooperative breeders, [26] and maybe Kurrartapus exhibited this trait as well. It is possible that like other cracticids, they built cup shaped nests with twigs and grasses. [27]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cracticinae</span> Subfamily of birds

The Cracticinae, bellmagpies and allies, gathers together 12 species of mostly crow-like birds native to Australasia and nearby areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey crowned crane</span> Species of bird in the family Gruidae

The grey crowned crane, also known as the African crowned crane, golden crested crane, golden crowned crane, East African crane, East African crowned crane, African crane, Eastern crowned crane, Kavirondo crane, South African crane and crested crane, is a bird in the crane family, Gruidae. It is found in nearly all Africa especially in eastern and southern Africa, and is the national bird of Uganda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siberian grouse</span> Species of bird

The Siberian grouse, also known as Siberian spruce grouse, Amur grouse, or Asian spruce grouse, is a short, rotund forest-dwelling grouse. A sedentary, non-migratory bird, it is the only member of the genus Falcipennis. The spruce grouse of North America, which physically looks similar, is now placed in the monotypic genus Canachites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden bowerbird</span> Species of bird

The golden bowerbird is a species of bird in the family Ptilonorhynchidae, the bowerbirds. It is endemic to Queensland in Australia, where it is limited to the Atherton region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Botha's lark</span> Species of bird

Botha's lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African emerald cuckoo</span> Species of bird

The African emerald cuckoo is a species of cuckoo that is native to Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bald parrot</span> Species of bird

The bald parrot or orange-headed parrot is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae. It is endemic to the east-central Amazon of Brazil. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. It is considered near threatened by BirdLife International due to the widespread deforestation of the Amazon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abbott's starling</span> Species of bird

Abbott's starling is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is found in Kenya and Tanzania. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss, and its population is estimated at 2500–9999. This species, at 16 to 18 cm long, is the smallest species of starling. It is in the monotypic genus Arizelopsar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Variegated laughingthrush</span> Species of bird

The variegated laughingthrush is a species of bird in the family Leiothrichidae. It is endemic to the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent, primarily the low-to-mid altitudes of the Himalayas. It ranges across Bhutan, India, Nepal and Tibet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-eared myza</span> Species of bird

The white-eared myza or greater Sulawesi honeyeater is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae, with only its sharp calls revealing its presence. The white-eared myza is approximately 20 cm long.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rusty whistler</span> Species of bird

The rusty whistler is a species of bird in the family Pachycephalidae. It is endemic to lowland mountain areas of New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

<i>Peltops</i> Genus of birds

Peltops is a genus of birds in the family Artamidae. It contains two species that are endemic to the island of New Guinea. The species have also had the common name of shieldbill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-browed bush robin</span> Species of bird

The white-browed bush robin is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found from the Himalayas to south-central China and Taiwan. Its natural habitat is Rhododendron and conifer forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knysna woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The Knysna woodpecker is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, moist savanna, and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss. It belongs to a species complex that includes the golden-tailed and Mombasa woodpeckers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Himalayan owl</span> Species of owl

The Himalayan owl, also known as the Himalayan wood owl, is an owl of the forests of the Asia, from the Himalayas to Korea and Taiwan. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the tawny owl, but is separated from that species due to its distinctive call, darker plumage and shorter, barred tail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Artamidae</span> Family of birds

Artamidae is a family of passerine birds found in Australia, the Indo-Pacific region, and Southern Asia. It includes 24 extant species in six genera and three subfamilies: Peltopsinae, Artaminae and Cracticinae. Artamids used to be monotypic, containing only the woodswallows, but it was expanded to include the family Cracticidae in 1994. Some authors, however, still treat the two as separate families. Some species in this family are known for their beautiful song. Their feeding habits vary from nectar sucking (woodswallows) to predation on small birds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oreoicidae</span> Family of birds

Oreoicidae is a newly recognized family of small insectivorous songbirds from New Guinea and Australia, commonly known as the Australo-Papuan bellbirds. The family contains three genera, each containing a single species: Aleadryas, which contains the rufous-naped bellbird; Ornorectes, which contains the piping bellbird; and Oreoica, which contains the crested bellbird.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japanese leaf warbler</span> Species of bird

The Japanese leaf warbler is a leaf warbler. The species was first described by Robert Swinhoe in 1863. It was formerly included in the "Old World warbler" assemblage. It is closely related to the Arctic warbler and the Kamchatka leaf warbler, to which it was formerly considered conspecific.

<i>Aramus</i> (bird) Genus of bird

Aramus is the sole extant genus of the family Aramidae. The limpkin is the only living member of this group, although other species are known from the fossil record, such as Aramus paludigrus from the Middle Miocene.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Nguyen JM, Worthy TH, Boles WE, Hand SJ, Archer M (2013). "A new cracticid (Passeriformes: Cracticidae) from the Early Miocene of Australia". Emu . 113 (4): 374–382. doi:10.1071/MU13017. S2CID   85069421.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Cake, Martin; Black, Andrew; Joseph, Leo (December 2018). "The generic taxonomy of the Australian Magpie and Australo-Papuan butcherbirds is not all black-and-white". Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club. 138 (4): 346–359. doi: 10.25226/bboc.v138i4.2018.a6 . ISSN   0007-1595. S2CID   134198503.
  3. 1 2 Manegold, A. (2008). "Composition and phylogenetic affinities of vangas (Vangidae, Oscines, Passeriformes) based on morphological characters". Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research. 46 (3): 267–277. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0469.2008.00458.x . ISSN   1439-0469.
  4. RAIKOW, ROBERT J.; Bledsoe, Anthony H. (2000). "Phylogeny and Evolution of the Passerine Birds". BioScience. 50 (6): 487. doi: 10.1641/0006-3568(2000)050[0487:paeotp]2.0.co;2 . ISSN   0006-3568. S2CID   86870102.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Kaplan, Gisela (2019-05-01). Australian Magpie: Biology and Behaviour of an Unusual Songbird. Csiro Publishing. ISBN   978-1-4863-0725-8.
  6. Fuchs, Jérôme; Irestedt, Martin; Fjeldså, Jon; Couloux, Arnaud; Pasquet, Eric; Bowie, Rauri C. K. (2012-07-01). "Molecular phylogeny of African bush-shrikes and allies: Tracing the biogeographic history of an explosive radiation of corvoid birds". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 64 (1): 93–105. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2012.03.007. ISSN   1055-7903. PMID   22475817.
  7. Christidis, L.; Boles, W. E. (2008). "Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds". The Australian Museum. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
  8. Aggerbeck, Marie; Fjeldså, Jon; Christidis, Les; Fabre, Pierre-Henri; Jønsson, Knud Andreas (January 2014). "Resolving deep lineage divergences in core corvoid passerine birds supports a proto-Papuan island origin". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 70: 272–285. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2013.09.027. ISSN   1055-7903. PMID   24125832.
  9. 1 2 Kearns, Anna M.; Joseph, Leo; Cook, Lyn G. (2013-03-01). "A multilocus coalescent analysis of the speciational history of the Australo-Papuan butcherbirds and their allies". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 66 (3): 941–952. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2012.11.020. ISSN   1055-7903. PMID   23219707.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Talent, John A., ed. (2012). Earth and Life. doi:10.1007/978-90-481-3428-1. ISBN   978-90-481-3427-4.
  11. "The early Miocene Epoch (23.3-16.3 million years ago)". The Australian Museum. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
  12. Russell, Eleanor; Rowley, Ian (2020-03-04). Del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi; Christie, David; De Juana, Eduardo (eds.). "Black Butcherbird (Cracticus quoyi)". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.blabut1.01. S2CID   216285033.
  13. Russell, Eleanor; Rowley, Ian; Christie, David (2020-03-04). Del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi; Christie, David; De Juana, Eduardo (eds.). "Lowland Peltops (Peltops blainvillii)". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.lowpel1.01. S2CID   216239592.
  14. Russell, Eleanor; Rowley, Ian; Christie, David (2020-03-04). Del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi; Christie, David; De Juana, Eduardo (eds.). "Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen)". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.ausmag2.01. S2CID   216205911.
  15. Russell, Eleanor; Rowley, Ian (2020-03-04). Del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi; Christie, David; De Juana, Eduardo (eds.). "Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina)". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.piecur1.01. S2CID   216394460.
  16. Russell, Eleanor; Rowley, Ian (2020-03-04). Del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi; Christie, David; De Juana, Eduardo (eds.). "Black Currawong (Strepera fuliginosa)". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.blacur2.01. S2CID   216203590.
  17. Russell, Eleanor; Rowley, Ian (2020-03-04). Del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi; Christie, David; De Juana, Eduardo (eds.). "Gray Currawong (Strepera versicolor)". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.grycur1.01. S2CID   216308740.
  18. Brown, Eleanor D.; Veltman, Clare J. (2010-04-26). "Ethogram of the Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) in Comparison to Other Cracticidae and Corvus Species". Ethology. 76 (4): 309–333. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0310.1987.tb00692.x. ISSN   0179-1613.
  19. Ronald., Strahan (1996). Finches, bowerbirds & other passerines of Australia. Angus & Robertson. ISBN   0-207-18880-7. OCLC   34586664.
  20. "APA PsycNet". psycnet.apa.org. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  21. Gisela, Kaplan (2016). Bird minds: cognition and behaviour of Australian native birds. Vision Australia Personal Support. OCLC   1043350801.
  22. Csiro Publishing. Bird Minds.
  23. Rose, A. B. "Notes on the diet of some passerines in New South Wales II: Butcherbirds to starlings". Australian Bird Watcher. 18 (4): 164–178.
  24. "Black Currawong Calls & Sounds". Wild Ambience Nature Sounds. 14 September 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  25. "Butcherbirds & Bell-magpies family Cracticidae". creagrus.home.montereybay.com. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  26. Cockburn, Andrew (2006-06-07). "Prevalence of different modes of parental care in birds". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 273 (1592): 1375–1383. doi:10.1098/rspb.2005.3458. ISSN   0962-8452. PMC   1560291 . PMID   16777726.
  27. "Bornean Bristlehead". Oriental Bird Club. Retrieved 2021-11-11.