| Podilymbus majusculus Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Podicipediformes |
| Family: | Podicipedidae |
| Genus: | Podilymbus |
| Species: | †P. majusculus |
| Binomial name | |
| †Podilymbus majusculus Murray, 1967 | |
Podilymbus majusculus is an extinct species of grebe recovered from the Piacenzian age of the United States.
The specimens were collected in the summer of 1965 from Idaho, United States by Claude W. Hibbard and the species was named in 1967 by Bertram G. Murray. The species name "majusculus" is Latin for "somewhat larger or greater", referring to the larger size of the species compared to the related pied-billed grebe (P. podiceps). [1]
The holotype material is a complete tarsometatarsus (UMMP 52470). The tarsometatarsus is similar in characteristic to the pied-billed grebe, but being larger in size. Compared to the recently extinct Atitlán grebe (P. gigas), the tarsometatarsus of P. majusculus is slender in width and longer. Other material that Murray (1967) can confidently identified belonging to P. majusculus is the anterior portion of the sternum (UMMP 45277) and a femur that is missing the proximal end (UMMP 52455). Both of these bone material are larger than any seen in pied-billed grebes. A complete ulna (UMMP 52536), a near complete femur (UMMP 52300), another femur with its distal portion (UMMP 49496), a proximal end of a femur (UMMP 49496), and a wornout but complete tarsometatarsus (UMMP 53703), and a possible complete scapula (UMMP 52672) have been also assigned to the species. Tibiotarsii recovered from the similarly aged Rexroad Formation and the Saw Rock Canyon Formation of Kansas have been tentatively assigned to this species (UMMP 51846 and UMMP 31716 respectively). [1]
Classified in the genus Podilymbus , P. majusculus is the oldest known of the Podilymbus species. [1] [2]
P. majusculus is known from the Glenns Ferry Formation which the formation dates from the Piacenzian age of the Pliocene epoch in Idaho, United States. The environment that P. majusculus lived in was a wetland where it cohabited with various waterbirds including Aechmophorus elasson , another Neogene grebe species. There is some size variation seen in the specimens where it is possible the larger ones are males and the smaller ones are females (as seen in the recent Podilymbus species). [1] [3]
Grebes are aquatic diving birds in the order Podicipediformes. Grebes are widely distributed freshwater birds, with some species also found in marine habitats during migration and winter. Some flightless species exist as well, most notably in stable lakes. The order contains a single family, the Podicipedidae, which includes 22 species in six extant genera. Although, superficially, they resemble other diving birds such as loons and coots, they are most closely related to flamingos, as supported by morphological, molecular and paleontological data. Many species are monogamous and are known for their courtship displays, with the pair performing synchronized dances across the water's surface. The birds build floating vegetative nests where they lay several eggs. About a third of the world's grebes are listed at various levels of conservation concerns—the biggest threats including habitat loss, the introduction of invasive predatory fish and human poaching. As such, three species have gone extinct.
The pied-billed grebe is a species of the grebe family of water birds. Because the Atitlán grebe has become extinct, the Pied-Billed Grebe is now the sole extant member of the genus Podilymbus. The pied-billed grebe is primarily found in ponds throughout the Americas. Other names of this grebe include American dabchick, rail, dabchick, Carolina grebe, devil-diver, dive-dapper, dipper, hell-diver, pied-billed dabchick, pied-bill, thick-billed grebe, and water witch.
Podilymbus is a genus of birds in the Grebe family, the genus name is derived from Latin Podilymbus, a contraction of podicipes —the origin of the name of the grebe order—and Ancient Greek kolymbos, "diver".
Podiceps is a genus of birds in the grebe family. The genus name comes from Latin podicis, "rear-end" and ped, "foot", and is a reference to the placement of a grebe's legs towards the rear of its body.
The Atitlán grebe, also known as giant grebe, giant pied-billed grebe, or poc, is an extinct water bird, a relative of the pied-billed grebe. It was endemic at the Lago de Atitlán in Guatemala at an altitude of 1700 m asl. It was described in 1929 by Ludlow Griscom based on a specimen collected in 1926 and had been overlooked in the past. American ecologist Anne LaBastille observed the decline of this species over a period of 25 years. It was declared extinct by 1990.
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 1967.
Procariama is an extinct monotypic genus of phorusrhacid, which lived from the Late Miocene to the Late Pliocene of Argentina. Fossils of the animal have been found in six places, in the Cerro Azul and Andalhuala Formations. More specifically in the Andagalá department and in the north of the Belén department of the Catamarca province, with a single location in the La Pampa province. The type and only species, Procariama simplex, is the largest member of the subfamily Psilopterinae.
Juncitarsus is an extinct genus of wading birds from the Eocene of the United States and Germany. Though previously considered a flamingo, it is likely a stem-flamingo, possibly a relative of the group which contains both flamingos and grebes (Mirandornithes).
Spheniscus muizoni is an extinct species of banded penguins that lived during the early Late Miocene in what is now Peru, South America. The species, the earliest member of the extant genus, was described in 2007 by Ursula B. Göhlich based on fossils found in the fossiliferous Pisco Formation of the Pisco Basin, southwestern Peru.
Phoeniconaias proeses is an extinct species of flamingo from the Pliocene of Australia. Fossil material was described under several names including Ocyplanus proeses and Phoeniconaias gracilis, which were eventually found to be synonymous. Only material from the Tirari Formation has been dated, while most other material lacks precise information on its age. P. proeses was one of the smallest species of flamingo, smaller than the modern lesser flamingo which it may be related to.
Thiornis is a fossil genus of Middle Miocene grebe known from a nearly complete specimen from Libros, Spain. Originally classified as a type of moorhen, Thiornis has since been classified as a species of grebe. The overall anatomy of the bird is identical to modern grebes. It contains a single species, T. sociata.
Pliolymbus is a fossil genus of grebe known from the Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene of United States and Mexico. It is known from a single species, P. baryosteus.
Aechmophorus elasson is an extinct species of grebe recovered from the Piacenzian age of the United States.
Podilymbus wetmorei is an extinct species of grebe recovered from the Late Pleistocene age of the United States.
Podiceps dixi is a possible extinct species of grebe from the United States.
Podiceps howardae is a possible extinct species of grebe from the United States, possibly a larger and earlier form of the horned grebe.
Podiceps solidus is an extinct small species of Upper Miocene to Lower Pliocene grebe from Western Mongolia.
Podiceps discors is an extinct species of grebe from the Upper Pliocene of western North America. It was similar to the black-necked grebe.
Podiceps arndti is an extinct species of grebe from the Upper Pliocene of California.
Spheniscus chilensis is an extinct species of penguin that lived during the Late Pliocene in Chile. The first fossil record of the penguin was discovered on the coast of Antofagasta in 1980, when coastal erosion exposed the first fossilized bone.