Abstract
ABSTRACTWe describe a partial skeleton of a new stem group representative of the Sphenisciformes from the mid-Paleocene Waipara Greensand in New Zealand, which represents the best-preserved and most complete Paleocene penguin found so far. Sequiwaimanu rosieae, n. gen. et sp., is the fourth penguin species from the Waipara Greensand, which previously yielded two species that were assigned to the taxon Waimanu, in addition to leg bones of an unnamed giant penguin. Among other features, the new species is characterized by an articular facet for the furcula on the apex carinae of the sternum, which is unknown from other sphenisciforms. We perform detailed comparisons with the species assigned to Waimanu and show that the type species Waimanu manneringi differs in tarsometatarsus morphology from its putative congener ‘W.’ tuatahi, which is here assigned to the new taxon Muriwaimanu. Sequiwaimanu rosieae exhibits a more derived morphology than Muriwaimanu tuatahi, but its exact affinities to W. manneringi are unresolved owing to the incompletely known osteology of the latter species. With S. rosieae being more closely related to the crown group than M. tuatahi, shared characteristics of the two taxa are likely to be plesiomorphic for sphenisciforms. Although the skeletal morphology of these sphenisciform stem species shows some similarities to plotopterids (i.e., wing-propelled diving seabirds from the North Pacific Basin) in some characters, the stem group sphenisciforms from the Waipara Greensand are clearly distinguished from plotopterids.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:86031231-EADB-45EF-930B-8E55833D32F6SUPPLEMENTAL DATA—Supplemental materials are available for this article for free at www.tandfonline.com/UJVPCitation for this article: Mayr, G., V. L. De Pietri, L. Love, A. A. Mannering, and R. P. Scofield. 2018. A well-preserved new mid-Paleocene penguin (Aves, Sphenisciformes) from the Waipara Greensand in New Zealand. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2017.1398169.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
