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Miocene hawk converges on Secretarybird
Author(s) -
FEDUCCIA ALAN,
VOORHIES MICHAEL R.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
ibis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.933
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1474-919X
pISSN - 0019-1019
DOI - 10.1111/j.1474-919x.1989.tb02784.x
Subject(s) - paleontology , genus , habitat , late miocene , geography , ecology , sagittarius , geology , biology , physics , structural basin , quantum mechanics , galaxy , milky way
A falconiform Miocene fossil bird from North America, represented by a nearly complete tarsometatarsus with phalanges in place, is that of a hawk that converged on the living Secretarybird Sagittarius serpentarius. It is described as a new genus and species, Apatosagittarius terrenus. The palaeoenvironment indicates a Miocene setting similar to the present day habitat of the living Secretarybird, characterized by extensive grasslands and savannas.