Were terror birds the apex continental predators of Antarctica? New findings in the early Eocene of Seymour Island

Autores
Acosta Hospitaleche, Carolina Ileana Alicia; Jones, Washington
Año de publicación
2024
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
Two ungual phalanges attributed to large birds were collected in the Ypresian (early Eocene) levels of the Cucullaea Allomember (Submeseta Formation). Both materials were found in localities in proximity on Seymour Island in West Antarctica. The pronounced curvature, considerable size robustness, and the extension of the flexor tubercle provide compelling evidence for their classification within Cariamiformes. Additionally, the results of quantitative analyses strongly support this assignment to Phorusrhacidae or a Phorusrhacidae-like bird resembling Phorusrhacos longissimus. These phalanges belonged to a large or even giant predator, estimated to have had a substantial body mass of around 100 kg. It is highly likely that this bird was an active predator, hunting and feeding on small marsupials and medium-sized ungulates. This finding fundamentally changes our understanding of the dynamic within the Antarctic continental ecosystems during the early Eocene. It reveals that large carnivorous birds assumed the role of continental apex predators apparently sub-occupied bymammals.
Fil: Acosta Hospitaleche, Carolina Ileana Alicia. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina
Fil: Jones, Washington. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural; Uruguay
Materia
Anatomy
Terror birds
Antarctica
Eocene
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso abierto
Condiciones de uso
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
Repositorio
CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Institución
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
OAI Identificador
oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/236414
Acceder
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network_name_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
spelling Were terror birds the apex continental predators of Antarctica? New findings in the early Eocene of Seymour IslandAcosta Hospitaleche, Carolina Ileana AliciaJones, WashingtonAnatomyTerror birdsAntarcticaEocenehttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.5https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1Two ungual phalanges attributed to large birds were collected in the Ypresian (early Eocene) levels of the Cucullaea Allomember (Submeseta Formation). Both materials were found in localities in proximity on Seymour Island in West Antarctica. The pronounced curvature, considerable size robustness, and the extension of the flexor tubercle provide compelling evidence for their classification within Cariamiformes. Additionally, the results of quantitative analyses strongly support this assignment to Phorusrhacidae or a Phorusrhacidae-like bird resembling Phorusrhacos longissimus. These phalanges belonged to a large or even giant predator, estimated to have had a substantial body mass of around 100 kg. It is highly likely that this bird was an active predator, hunting and feeding on small marsupials and medium-sized ungulates. This finding fundamentally changes our understanding of the dynamic within the Antarctic continental ecosystems during the early Eocene. It reveals that large carnivorous birds assumed the role of continental apex predators apparently sub-occupied bymammals.Fil: Acosta Hospitaleche, Carolina Ileana Alicia. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Jones, Washington. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural; UruguayCoquina Press2024-01info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/236414Acosta Hospitaleche, Carolina Ileana Alicia; Jones, Washington; Were terror birds the apex continental predators of Antarctica? New findings in the early Eocene of Seymour Island; Coquina Press; Palaeontologia Electronica; 27; 1; 1-2024; 1-311094-80741532-3056CONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.26879/1340info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2024/5162-eocene-cariamiformes-from-antarcticainfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2025-09-03T09:53:00Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/236414instacron:CONICETInstitucionalhttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/oai/requestdasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:34982025-09-03 09:53:00.523CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Were terror birds the apex continental predators of Antarctica? New findings in the early Eocene of Seymour Island
title Were terror birds the apex continental predators of Antarctica? New findings in the early Eocene of Seymour Island
spellingShingle Were terror birds the apex continental predators of Antarctica? New findings in the early Eocene of Seymour Island
Acosta Hospitaleche, Carolina Ileana Alicia
Anatomy
Terror birds
Antarctica
Eocene
title_short Were terror birds the apex continental predators of Antarctica? New findings in the early Eocene of Seymour Island
title_full Were terror birds the apex continental predators of Antarctica? New findings in the early Eocene of Seymour Island
title_fullStr Were terror birds the apex continental predators of Antarctica? New findings in the early Eocene of Seymour Island
title_full_unstemmed Were terror birds the apex continental predators of Antarctica? New findings in the early Eocene of Seymour Island
title_sort Were terror birds the apex continental predators of Antarctica? New findings in the early Eocene of Seymour Island
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Acosta Hospitaleche, Carolina Ileana Alicia
Jones, Washington
author Acosta Hospitaleche, Carolina Ileana Alicia
author_facet Acosta Hospitaleche, Carolina Ileana Alicia
Jones, Washington
author_role author
author2 Jones, Washington
author2_role author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Anatomy
Terror birds
Antarctica
Eocene
topic Anatomy
Terror birds
Antarctica
Eocene
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.5
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Two ungual phalanges attributed to large birds were collected in the Ypresian (early Eocene) levels of the Cucullaea Allomember (Submeseta Formation). Both materials were found in localities in proximity on Seymour Island in West Antarctica. The pronounced curvature, considerable size robustness, and the extension of the flexor tubercle provide compelling evidence for their classification within Cariamiformes. Additionally, the results of quantitative analyses strongly support this assignment to Phorusrhacidae or a Phorusrhacidae-like bird resembling Phorusrhacos longissimus. These phalanges belonged to a large or even giant predator, estimated to have had a substantial body mass of around 100 kg. It is highly likely that this bird was an active predator, hunting and feeding on small marsupials and medium-sized ungulates. This finding fundamentally changes our understanding of the dynamic within the Antarctic continental ecosystems during the early Eocene. It reveals that large carnivorous birds assumed the role of continental apex predators apparently sub-occupied bymammals.
Fil: Acosta Hospitaleche, Carolina Ileana Alicia. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina
Fil: Jones, Washington. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural; Uruguay
description Two ungual phalanges attributed to large birds were collected in the Ypresian (early Eocene) levels of the Cucullaea Allomember (Submeseta Formation). Both materials were found in localities in proximity on Seymour Island in West Antarctica. The pronounced curvature, considerable size robustness, and the extension of the flexor tubercle provide compelling evidence for their classification within Cariamiformes. Additionally, the results of quantitative analyses strongly support this assignment to Phorusrhacidae or a Phorusrhacidae-like bird resembling Phorusrhacos longissimus. These phalanges belonged to a large or even giant predator, estimated to have had a substantial body mass of around 100 kg. It is highly likely that this bird was an active predator, hunting and feeding on small marsupials and medium-sized ungulates. This finding fundamentally changes our understanding of the dynamic within the Antarctic continental ecosystems during the early Eocene. It reveals that large carnivorous birds assumed the role of continental apex predators apparently sub-occupied bymammals.
publishDate 2024
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2024-01
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11336/236414
Acosta Hospitaleche, Carolina Ileana Alicia; Jones, Washington; Were terror birds the apex continental predators of Antarctica? New findings in the early Eocene of Seymour Island; Coquina Press; Palaeontologia Electronica; 27; 1; 1-2024; 1-31
1094-8074
1532-3056
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/236414
identifier_str_mv Acosta Hospitaleche, Carolina Ileana Alicia; Jones, Washington; Were terror birds the apex continental predators of Antarctica? New findings in the early Eocene of Seymour Island; Coquina Press; Palaeontologia Electronica; 27; 1; 1-2024; 1-31
1094-8074
1532-3056
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.26879/1340
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2024/5162-eocene-cariamiformes-from-antarctica
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Coquina Press
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Coquina Press
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
reponame_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
collection CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname_str Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.name.fl_str_mv CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.mail.fl_str_mv dasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.ar
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score 13.13397

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