The cretaceous birds of New JerseyOlson, Storrs L.
Science
The cretaceous birds of New Jersey
Olson, Storrs L.
Birds, Fossil; Paleontology -- Cretaceous; Paleontology -- New Jersey
Diagnosis.--Differs from _Telmatornis_ and _Presbyornis_ in (1) having
the shaft very short, stout, and much more curved, both in dorsoventral
and lateromedial views. Differs from _Telmatornis_ and agrees with
_Presbyornis_ in (2) having the distal end in distal view deeper, with
(3) a narrower and much deeper olecranal fossa. Also, (4) the brachial
depression is smaller and narrower than in _Telmatornis_ but not as
deep, nor as proximally situated as in _Presbyornis_.
Etymology.--“Duck-winged bird,” from Latin _anas_, duck, _ala_, wing,
and _avis_, bird. The gender is feminine.
=_Anatalavis rex_ (Shufeldt, 1915), new combination=
Figure 6_a,b,d_J
Telmatornis rex Shufeldt, 1915:27, fig. 101.
Holotype.--Right humerus lacking proximal end, YPM 902 (Figure 6_a_).
Locality and Horizon.--From Hornerstown, Upper Freehold Township,
Monmouth County, New Jersey; collected by W. Ross in 1878; probably
Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian), basal Hornerstown Formation.
Referred Specimen.--Paratypical left humerus lacking proximal end,
YPM 948 (Figure 6_b,d,f_). From Hornerstown, Upper Freehold Township,
Monmouth County, New Jersey; collected by J.G. Meirs in 1869; probably
Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian), basal Hornerstown Formation.
Measurements (in mm).--Humeri (YPM 902, YPM 948, respectively): distal
width 13.6, 13.2; depth through dorsal condyle 7.3, 7.5; width of shaft
at proximal extent of brachial fossa 7.2,7.5; length from distal end of
pectoral crest to ventral condyle 49.1, 50.7; shaft width at midpoint
5.4, 5.6.
Remarks.--Shufeldt (1915:27) described this species in the same genus
as _T. priscus_ and _T. affinis_ but correctly noted that the humerus
“is a short one ... its sigmoid curve very pronounced.” Cracraft
(1972:41) considered that “except for its decidedly larger size, _T.
rex_ does not differ from _T. priscus_ in any significant features.”
In fairness to these authors, it should be noted that the great
differences between Anatalavis and Telmatornis are much more apparent
in comparisons with the new humerus of _T. priscus_ (ANSP 15360), which
preserves much more of the shaft than the previously known specimens.
Both Shufeldt and Cracraft considered YPM 948 to belong to the same
species as the holotype of _T. rex_, and we concur.
The specimens of _A. rex_ are not comparable with the type of
_Graculavus velox_, which was from a larger bird. _Anatalavis rex_
was a larger, heavier bird than _Telmatornis priscus_, with the
humerus remarkably short and robust, so that the overall length of the
humerus in _A. rex_ would scarcely have exceeded that of _T. priscus_.
_Anatalavis_ must have been a bird of considerably different flight
habits from _Telmatornis_ or _Presbyornis_. The overall appearance of
its humerus is in fact rather duck-like, except for the more expanded
distal end. It is still quite short and stout even for a duck.
=Genus _Laornis_ Marsh, 1870=
Type-Species.--_Laornis edvardsianus_ Marsh, 1870, by monotypy.
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