Megapaloelodus
Encyclopedia
Megapaloelodus
is an extinct genus
of bird
s distantly related to flamingos. It belongs to the same family as the closely related genus Palaelodus
, but was more specialized. Megapaloelodus represents a specialization of the lifestyle of Palaelodus, which apparently was more like a wading duck in behavior - long-legged but still able to swim with ease, possibly even diving a lot - than a modern flamingo. Megapaloelodus, on the other hand, seems to have been evolved into a true wading bird, convergent
with the true flamingos.
Its "knee" (actually ankle
) joints had evolved to a peculiar form not known from modern flamingos and only incipient in Palaelodus; the function of this character is not known but possibly it enabled the bird to "lock" its leg in standing position when asleep in shallow water, out of the reach of most terrestrial as well as aquatic predators (L. H. Miller, 1954). Megapaloelodus species were sized from equal to an average Greater Flamingo
to 15-20% larger. Unfortunately, it is not known whether their bills were specialized for filter feeding as in the true flamingos, or whether they retained the less-specialized shape of Palaelodus which fed on small aquatic invertebrate
s and vertebrate
s.
The Miocene
species
M. connectens
is known from the Early Miocene
of Bennett County, South Dakota
(Rosebud Formation: late Arikareean
, 23-19 mya: fragments of a femur
and a tarsometatarsus
), and from some bones of the early Late Miocene of San Bernardino County, California
(c. 11 mya; UCLA 2303 & 2364). The latter may represent a distinct species due to the considerable difference in space and time between the two localities, but all these bones at least were from birds of similar size, about as large as a big Greater Flamingo
(L. H. Miller, 1950). The Californian population probably inhabited freshwater or saline lagoon
s or shallow lakes.
A later species, M. opsigonus, was found in Early Pliocene
deposits at Juntura
, Malheur County
, Oregon
.
Whether the species M. goliath
belongs into this genus or into Palaelodus is not quite certain; it surpasses all forms in the latter genus in size, but is generally similar. It is the earliest representative of Megapaloelodus, living from the Late Oligocene
to the Middle Miocene, and has been found in a wide range of Central European localities, from France
to Southern Germany
and on to the Czech Republic
and Hungary
; it dwelled in the wetlands created by the rerouting of rivers due to the beginning uplift of the Alps
.
Fossils referrable to this genus have also been found e.g. in the Late Miocene of northern Argentina
. At least two additional undescribed species await description pending availability of more material.
is an extinct genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s distantly related to flamingos. It belongs to the same family as the closely related genus Palaelodus
Palaelodus
Palaelodus is an extinct genus of birds distantly related to flamingos. They were slender birds with long, thin legs and a long neck. Little is known about the shape of their skull or beak. Some paleontologists think Palaelodus was able to swim under water, chasing prey, but the morphology of their...
, but was more specialized. Megapaloelodus represents a specialization of the lifestyle of Palaelodus, which apparently was more like a wading duck in behavior - long-legged but still able to swim with ease, possibly even diving a lot - than a modern flamingo. Megapaloelodus, on the other hand, seems to have been evolved into a true wading bird, convergent
Convergent evolution
Convergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages.The wing is a classic example of convergent evolution in action. Although their last common ancestor did not have wings, both birds and bats do, and are capable of powered flight. The wings are...
with the true flamingos.
Its "knee" (actually ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
) joints had evolved to a peculiar form not known from modern flamingos and only incipient in Palaelodus; the function of this character is not known but possibly it enabled the bird to "lock" its leg in standing position when asleep in shallow water, out of the reach of most terrestrial as well as aquatic predators (L. H. Miller, 1954). Megapaloelodus species were sized from equal to an average Greater Flamingo
Greater Flamingo
The Greater Flamingo is the most widespread species of the flamingo family. It is found in parts of Africa, southern Asia , and southern Europe...
to 15-20% larger. Unfortunately, it is not known whether their bills were specialized for filter feeding as in the true flamingos, or whether they retained the less-specialized shape of Palaelodus which fed on small aquatic invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s and vertebrate
Vertebrate
Vertebrates are animals that are members of the subphylum Vertebrata . Vertebrates are the largest group of chordates, with currently about 58,000 species described. Vertebrates include the jawless fishes, bony fishes, sharks and rays, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds...
s.
The Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
M. connectens
is known from the Early Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
of Bennett County, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
(Rosebud Formation: late Arikareean
Arikareean
The Arikareean North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology , typically set from 30,600,000 to 20,800,000 years BP, a period of . It is usually considered to overlap the Oligocene and Miocene epochs...
, 23-19 mya: fragments of a femur
Femur
The femur , or thigh bone, is the most proximal bone of the leg in tetrapod vertebrates capable of walking or jumping, such as most land mammals, birds, many reptiles such as lizards, and amphibians such as frogs. In vertebrates with four legs such as dogs and horses, the femur is found only in...
and a tarsometatarsus
Tarsometatarsus
The tarsometatarsus is a bone that is found in the lower leg of certain tetrapods, namely birds.It is formed from the fusion of several bones found in other types of animals, and homologous to the mammalian tarsal and metatarsal bones...
), and from some bones of the early Late Miocene of San Bernardino County, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
(c. 11 mya; UCLA 2303 & 2364). The latter may represent a distinct species due to the considerable difference in space and time between the two localities, but all these bones at least were from birds of similar size, about as large as a big Greater Flamingo
Greater Flamingo
The Greater Flamingo is the most widespread species of the flamingo family. It is found in parts of Africa, southern Asia , and southern Europe...
(L. H. Miller, 1950). The Californian population probably inhabited freshwater or saline lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
s or shallow lakes.
A later species, M. opsigonus, was found in Early Pliocene
Pliocene
The Pliocene Epoch is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 2.588 million years before present. It is the second and youngest epoch of the Neogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Pliocene follows the Miocene Epoch and is followed by the Pleistocene Epoch...
deposits at Juntura
Juntura, Oregon
Juntura is an unincorporated community in Malheur County, Oregon, United States on U.S. Route 20. The word juntura is Spanish for "juncture", and the community was named for its proximity to the confluence of the Malheur River with its north fork. The name was probably selected by local settler B. L...
, Malheur County
Malheur County, Oregon
Malheur County is a county located in the southeast corner of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the eight-county definition of Eastern Oregon. Most of the county observes the Mountain Time Zone, although the southern quarter of the county observes the Pacific Time Zone along with the...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.
Whether the species M. goliath
belongs into this genus or into Palaelodus is not quite certain; it surpasses all forms in the latter genus in size, but is generally similar. It is the earliest representative of Megapaloelodus, living from the Late Oligocene
Oligocene
The Oligocene is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene Period and extends from about 34 million to 23 million years before the present . As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the period are well identified but the exact dates of the start and end of the period are slightly...
to the Middle Miocene, and has been found in a wide range of Central European localities, from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to Southern Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and on to the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
; it dwelled in the wetlands created by the rerouting of rivers due to the beginning uplift of the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
.
Fossils referrable to this genus have also been found e.g. in the Late Miocene of northern Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. At least two additional undescribed species await description pending availability of more material.