Eutreptornis
| Eutreptornis Temporal range: Late Eocene
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Fossil
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Eutreptornis
Joel Cracraft 1971
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E. uintae
(Joel Cracraft 1971)
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| Eutreptornis uintae |
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Eutreptornis ("changing bird"[1])is a genus of extinct cariamiforme bird from the Late Eocene of Utah. It is traditionally considered to be a bathornithid,[2][3] though a combination of the relative incompleteness of the material alongside some differences from other bathornithids have raised some suspicions about this affiliation.[4]
Contents
Description
Eutreptornis is currently represented by a single type species, E. uintae, in turn represented by a tibiotarsus and tarsometatarsus from the Uinta Formation of Utah.
Biology
It is the smallest bathornithid remains known.[5] Due to the incompleteness of its remains it is unclear whereas it was flightless like later forms or capable flight like contemporary and larger Neocathartes. It was, however, most certainly a terrestrial predator, perhaps akin to its closest living relatives, the seriemas.
Ecology
Eutreptornis co-existed with a rich mammalian megafauna, such as the brontothere Megacerops, as well as other terrestrial birds, including other bathornithid birds such as the larger Bathornis species and the flightless crane-like geranoidids.[6]
References
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<references />, or <references group="..." />- ↑ Joel Cracraft, Systematics and evolution of the Gruiformes (Class Aves). 2, Additional comments on the Bathornithidae, with descriptions of new species. American Museum novitates ; no. 2449
- ↑ Joel Cracraft, Systematics and evolution of the Gruiformes (Class Aves). 2, Additional comments on the Bathornithidae, with descriptions of new species. American Museum novitates ; no. 2449
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Donald Farmer, Avian Biology, Elsevier, 02/12/2012
- ↑ Joel Cracraft, Systematics and evolution of the Gruiformes (Class Aves). 2, Additional comments on the Bathornithidae, with descriptions of new species. American Museum novitates ; no. 2449
- ↑ Joel Cracraft, Systematics and evolution of the Gruiformes (Class Aves). 2, Additional comments on the Bathornithidae, with descriptions of new species. American Museum novitates ; no. 2449
