Abstract
Tynskya eocaena n. gen. n. sp. is described from Lower Eocene deposits of the Green River Formation (Wyoming, USA). The species is characterized by a distinctive morphology of the tarsometatarsus. AlthoughTynskya eocaena resembles the Lower and Middle Eocene PseudasturidaeMayr 1998 and some recent strigiform and falconiform birds in several aspects, it has not been possible to find derived characters which convincingly support a classification of this species into one of the known higher avian taxa. Birds closely related toTynskya eocaena have also been found in the Lower Eocene London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex, England) and give a further example of the great similarity between the early Eocene avifauna of North America and Europe.
Kurzfassung
Tynskya eocaena n. gen. n. sp. wird aus untereozänen Ablagerungen der Green River Formation (Wyoming, USA) beschrieben. Die Art ist durch einen kennzeichnenden Bau des Tarsometatarsus charakterisiert. ObwohlTynskya eocaena den unter- und mitteleozänen PseudasturidaeMayr 1998 und einigen rezenten strigiformen und falconiformen Vögeln hinsichtlich verschiedener Merkmale ähnelt, konnten keine abgeleiteten Merkmale gefunden werden, die eine Klassifikation dieser Art in eines der bekannten höheren Vogel-Taxa überzeugend unterstützen. MitTynskya eocaena nahe verwandte Vögel wurden auch im unterem Eozän des London Clay von Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex, England) gefunden und geben ein weiteres Beispiel für die große Übereinstimmung zwischen der frühtertiären Avifauna von Nordamerika und Europa.
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Mayr, G. A new raptor-like bird from the Lower Eocene of North America and Europe. Senckenbergiana lethaea 80, 59–65 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03043664
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03043664