This art icle was downloaded by: [ Museum of Vict oria] On: 03 Oct ober 2012, At : 19: 39 Publisher: Taylor & Francis I nform a Lt d Regist ered in England and Wales Regist ered Num ber: 1072954 Regist ered office: Mort im er House, 37- 41 Mort im er St reet , London W1T 3JH, UK Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology Publicat ion det ails, including inst ruct ions for aut hors and subscript ion informat ion: ht t p:/ / www.t andfonline.com/ loi/ t alc20 A late Miocene–early Pliocene Mihirung bird (Aves: Dromornithidae) from Victoria, southeast Australia a Travis Park & Erich M. G. Fit zgerald b a School of Life and Environment al Sciences, Deakin Universit y, Vict oria, 3125, Aust ralia b Geosciences, Museum Vict oria, GPO Box 666, Melbourne, Vict oria, 3001, Aust ralia Version of record first published: 30 Jul 2012. To cite this article: Travis Park & Erich M. G. Fit zgerald (2012): A lat e Miocene–early Pliocene Mihirung bird (Aves: Dromornit hidae) from Vict oria, sout heast Aust ralia, Alcheringa: An Aust ralasian Journal of Palaeont ology, 36:3, 419-422 To link to this article: ht t p:/ / dx.doi.org/ 10.1080/ 03115518.2012.663572 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTI CLE Full t erm s and condit ions of use: ht t p: / / www.t andfonline.com / page/ t erm s- and- condit ions This art icle m ay be used for research, t eaching, and privat e st udy purposes. Any subst ant ial or syst em at ic reproduct ion, redist ribut ion, reselling, loan, sub- licensing, syst em at ic supply, or dist ribut ion in any form t o anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warrant y express or im plied or m ake any represent at ion t hat t he cont ent s will be com plet e or accurat e or up t o dat e. The accuracy of any inst ruct ions, form ulae, and drug doses should be independent ly verified wit h prim ary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, act ions, claim s, proceedings, dem and, or cost s or dam ages what soever or howsoever caused arising direct ly or indirect ly in connect ion wit h or arising out of t he use of t his m at erial. A late Miocene–early Pliocene Mihirung bird (Aves: Dromornithidae) from Victoria, southeast Australia TRAVIS PARK and ERICH M. G. FITZGERALD Downloaded by [Museum of Victoria] at 19:39 03 October 2012 PARK, T. & FITZGERALD, E.M.G., September 2012. A late Miocene–early Pliocene Mihirung bird (Aves: Dromornithidae) from Victoria, southeast Australia. Alcheringa 36, 419–422. ISSN 0311-5518. An incomplete tarsometatarsus identified as an indeterminate species of Dromornithidae is described from the upper Miocene–lower Pliocene shallow marine Black Rock Sandstone at Beaumaris, Victoria, Australia. This isolated specimen represents one of the few pre-Pleistocene dromornithids with a well-constrained geologic age. Additionally, it is one of the few pre-Quaternary dromornithid fossils recorded from southeast Australia. Comparisons with known dromornithid taxa suggest that the Beaumaris dromornithid is distinct from previously established species. This hitherto unknown species of dromornithid in the late Neogene of southeastern Australia cautions against deriving evolutionary patterns solely on the basis of fossils from northern Australia. Travis Park [tpark@deakin.edu.au], School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Victoria 3125, Australia; Erich M. G. Fitzgerald [efitzgerald@museum.vic.gov.au], Geosciences, Museum Victoria, GPO Box 666, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001, Australia. Received 19.12.2011, revised 22.1.2012, accepted 30.1.2012. Key words: Aves, bird, Dromornithidae, Australia, Miocene, Pliocene, fossil. tarsometatarsus from the Black Rock Sandstone (upper Miocene–lower Pliocene, 6.2–5.0 Ma: Dickinson & Wallace 2009) at Beaumaris on Port Phillip Bay (Fig. 1). THE DROMORNITHIDAE or ‘Mihirungs’ are an extinct group of giant flightless cursorial birds that were endemic to Australia. Originally interpreted as ratites (Owen 1872, Fürbringer 1888, Stirling & Zietz 1896, Rich 1979), dromornithids were shown by Murray & Megirian (1998) to be neognathous birds in the Anseriformes. Nonetheless, it remains debatable as to which anseriform group is sister to Dromornithidae (Murray & Vickers-Rich 2004, Olson 2005, Agnolin 2007). Furthermore, the monophyly of the Mihirungs has been questioned (Olson 2005). Assuming monophyly, dromornithid fossils are known from the late Oligocene through to the late Pleistocene (Field & Boles 1998, Nguyen et al. 2010). An ancient origin for the group is implied by a possible dromornithid foot impression from the early Eocene of Queensland (Vickers-Rich & Molnar 1996). Following an overdue taxonomic revision of the Dromornithidae (Nguyen et al. 2010), the family includes seven accepted species in four genera, with a geographic distribution including every state except Western Australia (Table 1). Among other states, Victoria has a meagre record and until now, no prePleistocene Dromornithidae. Here we document the geologically oldest occurrence of the Dromornithidae from Victoria and among the oldest osteological remains from southeast Australia: a partial right Systematic palaeontology ISSN 0311-5518 (print)/ISSN 1752-0754 (online) Ó 2012 Association of Australasian Palaeontologists http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03115518.2012.663572 Class AVES Linnaeus, 1758 Order ANSERIFORMES Wagler, 1831 Suborder ANHIMAE Wetmore & Miller, 1926 Family DROMORNITHIDAE Fürbringer, 1888 Materials and methods Institutional abbreviations. NMV P: Museum Victoria Palaeontology Collection, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. SAM P: South Australia Museum Palaeontology Collection, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. Museum Victoria (NMV) specimens compared include Genyornis newtoni Stirling & Zietz, 1896, (right tarsometatarsus cast NMV P207016 of SAM P17024) and Ilbandornis sp. (Rich 1979), (right tarsometatarsi NMV P231823 and NMV P231825). All other comparisons were made from figures presented by Stirling & Zietz (1900), Rich (1979), Murray & Vickers-Rich (2004) and Nguyen et al. (2010). Measurements were taken using Mitutoyo Absolute Digimatic CD-600 CSX callipers. Osteological terminology follows Baumel & Witmer (1993). Taxonomy follows the systematic revision of Nguyen et al. (2010; Table 1). Table 1. Summary of all known dromornithid species, their localities, temporal distribution and tarsometatarsi measurements: Qld, Queensland; N/A, not applicable; NE, Northeast; NT, Northern Territory; NW, Northwest; pd, proximal depth; ptw, proximal transverse width; S, South; SA, South Australia; SE, Southeast; Vic, Victoria; W, West. – N/A 120.0 ca 180.0 77.3 95.0–111.0 74.0–80.0 80.0–85.0 470.4 Riversleigh, NW Qld Peak Downs, SE Qld Bullock Creek, W NT Alcoota, S NT Alcoota, S NT Lake Callabonna, NE SA Bullock Creek, W NT Alcoota, S NT Beaumaris, S Vic Barawertornis Dromornis Dromornis Dromornis Genyornis Genyornis Ilbandornis Ilbandornis NMV P161489 tedfordi australis planei stirtoni lawsoni newtoni sp. woodburnei Early to middle Miocene ?late Pliocene Middle Miocene Late Miocene to early Pliocene Late Miocene to early Pliocene Pleistocene Middle Miocene Late Miocene to early Pliocene Late Miocene to early Pliocene Rich (1979) Owen (1872) Rich (1979) Rich (1979) Rich (1979) Stirling & Zietz (1896) Rich (1979) Rich (1979) This work ptw (mm) Reference Locality Age Species Genus Downloaded by [Museum of Victoria] at 19:39 03 October 2012 – N/A 420.4 110.0 – ca 75.9–ca 85.0 60.0 65.0–70.0 451.7 TRAVIS PARK and ERICH M. G. FITZGERALD pd (mm) 420 ALCHERINGA Dromornithidae indet. (Fig. 2) Material. NMV P161489, proximal end of a right tarsometatarsus, collected by J. E. Dixon on 15/9/ 1919 (Fig. 2). Locality. Western shore of Beaumaris Bay at Beaumaris, northeast side of Port Phillip Bay, central coastal Victoria, southeast Australia, near 378590 3400 S, 1458020 3200 E. Unit. Upper Miocene–lower Pliocene Black Rock Sandstone. Description and comparisons. Tarsometatarsi are known for all dromornithid species, except Dromornis australis Owen, 1872, which is known only from an isolated femur (Rich 1979; Table 1). These tarsometatarsi were described in detail by Rich (1979) and Murray & Vickers-Rich (2004). Additional Barawertornis tedfordi Rich, 1979 tarsometatarsi were described by Nguyen et al. (2010). Museum Victoria (NMV) specimen P161489 is an incomplete right tarsometatarsus (Fig. 2). Only the most proximal part of the shaft and the extremitas proximalis are preserved; erosion of the extremitas proximalis has obliterated most details on this surface. The maximum proximodistal length of the specimen is 147.0 mm; maximum proximal transverse width is 70.4 mm; maximum proximal depth (dorsoventrally) is 51.7 mm. As a consequence of erosion, the proximal transverse width and proximal depth metrics represent minimum values. In crosssection, the shaft is almost rectangular proximally, becoming triangular distally. Viewed dorsally (Fig. 2A): the eminentia intercotylaris is greatly reduced; the fossa infracotylaris dorsalis is wide and moderately deep, its proximal border situated 20.9 mm distal to the most proximal point of the specimen; the two large and one small foramen vascularia proximalia are situated within the fossa infracotylaris dorsalis, 52.0 mm distal of the most proximal point of the specimen; and the sulcus extensorius is shallow. Plantarly (Fig. 2C): the hypotarsus is broad, lacks ridges, has a slight medial curve; and the plantar openings of the foramina vascularia proximalia occur on either side of the hypotarsus, with the lateral foramen situated slightly further proximal than the medial foramen. Viewed laterally, the specimen becomes dorsoplantarly compressed towards its distal extremity (Fig. 2B). NMV P161489 is diagnosed as a dromornithid, distinguished from other Australian large flightless birds, i.e., Casuariidae, by: much larger size; robustness; less pronounced sulcus extensorius; and a broad hypotarsus. Within Dromornithidae, NMV P161489 can be distinguished from Dromornis species by its significantly smaller size (Table 1). Although the dimensions of NMV P161489 are some of the smallest recorded for a dromornithid, a more complete speci- ALCHERINGA NEW DROMORNITHIDAE FROM SOUTHEASTERN AUSTRALIA 421 Downloaded by [Museum of Victoria] at 19:39 03 October 2012 Fig. 1. Map showing the location of the Beaumaris fossil locality and major pre-Pleistocene dromornithid localities in northern Australia. Fig. 2. Dromornithidae indet., NMV P161489, a partial right tarsometatarsus, in: A, anterior; B, lateral; C, posterior; and D, medial views. Abbreviations: emi, eminentia intercotylaris; fid, fossa infracotylaris dorsalis; fvp, foramen vascularia proximalia; hyp, hypotarsus; sue, sulcus extensorius. men (without the erosion on NMV P161489) could conceivably fall within the size range of Genyornis newtoni Stirling & Zietz, 1896. Nonetheless, NMV P161489 differs from all other dromornithids by its lack of a distal foramen vascularia (referred to as a ‘nutrient canal’ by Rich 1979 and Stirling & Zietz 1900). NMV P161489 is considered here to be Dromornithidae, genus and species indet. Discussion With a geological age of 6.2–5.0 Ma, NMV P161489 is the oldest dromornithid recorded from Victoria by at least four million years. Previously, the only known dromornithid remains from Victoria were postcranial fragments from the late Pleistocene of Lancefield Swamp (Murray & Vickers-Rich 2004). The fragmen- tary nature of NMV P161489 prohibits its identification beyond Dromornithidae. Yet this isolated record confirms the presence of Dromornithidae in coastal Victoria during the late Miocene–early Pliocene. At least three species of dromornithid are known from penecontemporaneous assemblages elsewhere in Australia: Dromornis stirtoni Rich, 1979, Genyornis lawsoni and Ilbandornis woodburnei (Murray & VickersRich 2004), and fragmentary material tentatively assigned to Ilbandornis sp. is known from the Curramulka Local Fauna in South Australia (Pledge 1992). Our comparisons between NMV P161489 and these taxa suggest that the Victorian specimen can not be referred to any described species. This hints at a greater diversity of late Neogene dromornithids than currently recognized and cautions against deriving broader evolutionary patterns solely from the Alcoota Downloaded by [Museum of Victoria] at 19:39 03 October 2012 422 TRAVIS PARK and ERICH M. G. FITZGERALD Local Fauna. Despite the Black Rock Sandstone’s deposition in shallow marine conditions, other terrestrial vertebrates (Diprotodontidae and Palorchestidae) have been recorded from this unit (Fitzgerald 2004, Piper et al. 2006). This occurrence of terrestrial vertebrates in a marine unit (with robust stratigraphic control and correlation to the Standard Chronostratigraphic Scale: Dickinson & Wallace 2009) renders the Beaumaris Local Fauna a key calibration point for the Waitean Australian Land Mammal Age (ALMA: Megirian et al. 2010). The Beaumaris Local Fauna and its approximate correlate the Alcoota Local Fauna share diprotodontid species (Woodburne et al. 1985). 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