Help On Fossil Bird Id

[Big Papi]

I need a little help on identifying this proximal tibiotarsus from an Eocene bird found in the Uinta B (Wagonhound Member) of the Uinta Formation, Utah. I've done a lot of searching online and in reference books I have at my disposal and think it may be either Eutryptornis uintae or Eonessa anaticula since those are the only known birds from this formation that I can find. The only problem is that known Eonessa material is from the wing, and known Eutryptornis material is distal tibiotarsus and proximal tarsometatarsus. I'd like to identify it at least to the family, so if anyone can help me with that, I would be very thankful. If it's new, then that's probably also important for me to know. Also, If anybody knows of any other bird material from the Uinta Formation or can lead me to any good reference material, please let me know.

These are the references I've used:

Cracraft, J., 1971, Systematics and Evolution of the Gruiformes(Class Aves)2. Additional Comments on the Bathornithidae, with Descriptions of New Species, American Museum Novitates 2388:1-41

Mayr, G., 2009, Paleogene Fossil Birds, Springer 1-262

Olson, S. L. and Feduccia, A., 1980, Presbyornis and the origin of the Anseriformes (Aves: Charadriomorphae), Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 323:1-24

Wetmore, A., 1938, A fossil duck from the Eocene of Utah, Journal of Paleontology 12:280-283

Thanks!

- Big Papi

[Auspex]

With what can be seen of some of the usually diagnostic structure (pronounced outer cnemial crest; high, well-developed fibular crest), neither Anatidae nor Bathornithidae are strongly suggested. The Threskiornithidae have that combination, though; you might just have an early Ibis! If that were my fossil, I'd be contacting Storrs Olson at the Smithsonian.

BTW: Nice find!!

[ebrocklds]

papi-

looking at the pictures i can assure you that it is not Presbyornis. the cnemial crest is much larger and does not extend down the length of the shaft as in your specimen. very cool bone. i hope that you can figure out what it is. maybe it will be something new, in that case you could name it after a close friend

Brock

[Big Papi]

Thanks for the help guys! I'll be sure to contact Storrs Olson. If this is a possible paper, then I'm excited!

[Big Papi]

Just thought I'd let you guys know how my search has gone. I contacted Storrs Olson and this was his reply:

Sorry but I would not make any attempt to identify so fragmentary an isolated specimen from the Eocene. It could be practically anything. You might be able to get Gerald Mayr to take a stab at it. He is at the Senckenburg Museum in Frankfurt.

Storrs L. Olson

Curator Emeritus

Smithsonian Institution

P. O. Box 37012

Division of Birds, NHB MRC 116

Washington, D. C. 20013-7012

Feeling a little downhearted but still quite hopeful, I contacted Gerald Mayr:

Many thanks for sending the pictures. I fear that Storrs Olson is right. There are a several avian bones that often can be reliable identified if found isolated, such as the tarsometatarsus and coracoid, but a proximal tibiotarsus of birds is quite difficult to identify, and your specimen does not show many details that allow a reliable identification. Unfortunately, further, the taxonomic identities of both Eonessa and Eutreptornis are uncertain, so that comparisons with modern taxa may also not be of much help (the curvature of the proximal end of the bone is somewhat reminiscent of Anseriformes).

I am sorry for being of not much help, but send you my best wishes from Germany,

Gerald Mayr

******************************

Dr. Gerald Mayr

Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg

Sektion Ornithologie

Senckenberganlage 25

D-60325 Frankfurt am Main

Germany

phone: +49 69 75421348

fax: +49 69 746238

So I suppose my search has ended. It sure has been exciting. I guess we'll just have to keep our eyes out for more and better material. But isn't that always the quest?

Interestingly enough, both of those experts are authors of two of the main references I was using to try and ID this bone. I felt a little like I was talking to celebrities or something. I'm such a paleo-nerd.

[Auspex]

Those two are "rock" stars; get them in conference room, throw in Chiappe and a couple others, and I would be hard pressed to keep from screaming like a teenage girl at a Beatles concert!

The fragmentary nature of fossil bird remains is what makes it such a challenge.

[Seldom]

screaming like a teenage girl at a Beatles concert!

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Somethings we don't need to know.

Auspex do you have a web site for your shop or a thread were you tell about it. I have been thing about moving part of my shop more into a nature based shop with rocks and fossils. Antiques and resale pay a lot of bills but is not much fun anymore.