Two passeriform birds (Aves: Passeriformes) from the Middle Miocene of Austria

Autor(en)

Johannes Happ, Armin Elsler, Jürgen Kriwet, Cathrin Pfaff, Zbigniew M. Bochenski

Abstrakt

Two newly discovered specimens of passerine birds—an isolated sternum and an associated skeleton—from the upper Middle Miocene (ca. 12 Ma) are the oldest representatives of Passeriformes from Austria. Although the condition of the specimens prevents their accurate identification, they provide further clues on the morphological diversity of the avifauna during this period and fill gaps in the paleobiogeography of Miocene passerines. The associated skeleton represents a bird similar in size to the extant Sylvia atricapilla or Erithacus rubecula, and the delicate beak indicates that the bird fed mainly on small invertebrates and possibly also soft fruit. The isolated sternum belonged to a small thrush-sized bird and, considering the
fragility of this skeletal element, is one of the best-preserved Miocene passerine sterna in the world.

Organisation(en)

Institut für Paläontologie, Department für Evolutionsbiologie

Externe Organisation(en)

University of Bristol, Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS)

Journal

PalZ

Band

96

Seiten

313-321

Anzahl der Seiten

9

ISSN

0031-0220

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-021-00579-2

Publikationsdatum

08-2021

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

105118 Paläontologie

Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Palaeontology

Link zum Portal

https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/de/publications/two-passeriform-birds-aves-passeriformes-from-the-middle-miocene-of-austria(2df6898a-e8a5-4322-b7cc-aeb0d8b3fbf7).html