Osteology and systematic position of the eocene primobucconidae (aves, coraciiformes sensu stricto), with first records from Europe

Abstract

Synopsis The first complete skeletons of the early Eocene avian taxon Primobucconidae Brodkorb, 1970 are described and the osteology and systematic position of these poorly known birds are revised. New specimens from Germany (Messel) and France (Cond´e‐en‐Brie) are the first Old World records of this taxon. From Messel, two new species, Primobucco perneri sp. nov. and P. frugilegus sp. nov., are described. Cladistic analysis of 36 morphological characters from 14 ingroup taxa placed the Primobucconidae in an unresolved polytomy including fossil and extant rollers (Coraciiformes sensu stricto). Derived characters are presented that support this classification. The Primobucconidae is yet another taxon that exemplifies the great similarity between the early Eocene avifaunas of North America and Europe. It further constitutes the first record of stem group rollers in the New World. Both known specimens of P. frugilegus are preserved with seeds in the area of the stomach, which may indicate that stem group rollers had a more generalised diet than their extant relatives.