Leakeyornis is an extinct genus of flamingo from the early to middle Miocene of Kenya, primarily in the area of modern day Lake Victoria. Initially described as a species of Phoenicopterus based on an incomplete skull and various limb bones, it was later found to show a mixture of traits found across modern flamingo genera and subsequently placed in its own genus. It contains a single species, Leakeyornis aethiopicus.
Various fossils of Leakeyornis were collected by Louis Leakey from Miocene strata of Lake Victoria and later given to the Natural History Museum, London. These remains were first named by Harrison and Walker in 1976 as a species of Phoenicopterus, Phoenicopterus aethiopicus. This description was based on the holotype specimen BMNH A 4382, which represents the back of a beak, while a lower jaw fragment and various appendicular bones were designated as the paratypes. In the years following this publication, additional material was recovered from both Rusinga Island (Hiwegi Formation, Kulu Formation), Maboko Island[1] and Chianda Uyoma. The fossils, representing postcranial elements of the bird, were found to be distinct enough from modern flamingo genera to warrant creating a new genus, Leakeyornis.[2]
The name Leakeyornis honors both Louis Leakey and Mary Leakey for their research into African paleontology.[2]
Descriptionedit
Although no complete skull is known and postcranial elements of modern flamingo genera are relatively similar to one another, Leakeyornis can be distinguished from other taxa based on various unique features and the combinations of different morphological traits. The skull of Leakeyornis for instance, while incomplete, shows a mixture of features observed in modern flamingo species. In the anatomy of the nares, elongated rather than short, and the palate it most closely resembles the modern greater flamingo. Concerning the palate, flamingo species show projections from the bone which are organized into ridges. In Leakeyornis these palatal projections exhibit a weak double ridge similar to Phoenicopterus, as opposed to a more strongly developed singular ridge. The lower jaw differs from that of Phoenicopterus and instead shows more similarities to those of the lesser flamingo and the South American species within Phoenicoparrus. Specifically, the lower jaw is narrow with a deep anterior groove that tapers more gradually than it does in Phoenicopterus. The mandibular symphysis was likely shallow and the beak was slightly curved downwards like in Phoenicoparrus and Phoeniconaias.[2]
Rich and Walker note some differences between specimens found in the Hiwegi Formation and those from the Kulu Formation, however taphonomic distortion coupled with erosion render the meaning and origin of these differences uncertain.[2]
Paleobiologyedit
The oldest remains of Leakeyornis date to the early Miocene and were found on Rusinga Island in the east of Lake Victoria.[3] A femur from Maboko Island indicates that Leakeyornis continued to be present in East Africa until the Middle Miocene, however following its extinction no flamingo fossils are known from Africa until at least the late Pliocene.[4]
Referencesedit
^ abMayr, G. (2014). "On the Middle Miocene avifauna of Maboko Island, Kenya". Geobios. 47 (3): 133–146. Bibcode:2014Geobi..47..133M. doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2014.03.001.
^ abcdeRich, P. V.; Walker, C.A. (1983). "A New Genus of Miocene Flamingo from East Africa". Ostrich. 54 (2): 95–104. doi:10.1080/00306525.1983.9634452.
^Dyke, G.J.; Walker, C.A. (2008). "New records of fossil 'waterbirds' from the Miocene of Kenya". American Museum Novitates (3610): 1–10. doi:10.1206/0003-0082(2008)3610[1:NROFWF]2.0.CO;2. hdl:2246/5906. ISSN 0003-0082. S2CID 53518113.
^Pickford, M. (2009). "Mio-plio-pleistocene geology and palaeobiology of Etosha Pan, Namibia". Communications of the Geological Survey of Namibia. 14: 95–139.
January 01, 1970
leakeyornis, extinct, genus, flamingo, from, early, middle, miocene, kenya, primarily, area, modern, lake, victoria, initially, described, species, phoenicopterus, based, incomplete, skull, various, limb, bones, later, found, show, mixture, traits, found, acro. Leakeyornis is an extinct genus of flamingo from the early to middle Miocene of Kenya primarily in the area of modern day Lake Victoria Initially described as a species of Phoenicopterus based on an incomplete skull and various limb bones it was later found to show a mixture of traits found across modern flamingo genera and subsequently placed in its own genus It contains a single species Leakeyornis aethiopicus LeakeyornisTemporal range Early Miocene Middle Miocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Known skull remains of Leakeyornis Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Aves Order Phoenicopteriformes Family Phoenicopteridae Genus LeakeyornisRich and Walker 1983 Type species Leakeyornis aethiopicus Harrison and Walker 1976 Synonyms Phoenicopterus aethiopicus Harrison and Walker 1976 Contents 1 History and naming 2 Description 3 Paleobiology 4 ReferencesHistory and naming editVarious fossils of Leakeyornis were collected by Louis Leakey from Miocene strata of Lake Victoria and later given to the Natural History Museum London These remains were first named by Harrison and Walker in 1976 as a species of Phoenicopterus Phoenicopterus aethiopicus This description was based on the holotype specimen BMNH A 4382 which represents the back of a beak while a lower jaw fragment and various appendicular bones were designated as the paratypes In the years following this publication additional material was recovered from both Rusinga Island Hiwegi Formation Kulu Formation Maboko Island 1 and Chianda Uyoma The fossils representing postcranial elements of the bird were found to be distinct enough from modern flamingo genera to warrant creating a new genus Leakeyornis 2 The name Leakeyornis honors both Louis Leakey and Mary Leakey for their research into African paleontology 2 Description editAlthough no complete skull is known and postcranial elements of modern flamingo genera are relatively similar to one another Leakeyornis can be distinguished from other taxa based on various unique features and the combinations of different morphological traits The skull of Leakeyornis for instance while incomplete shows a mixture of features observed in modern flamingo species In the anatomy of the nares elongated rather than short and the palate it most closely resembles the modern greater flamingo Concerning the palate flamingo species show projections from the bone which are organized into ridges In Leakeyornis these palatal projections exhibit a weak double ridge similar to Phoenicopterus as opposed to a more strongly developed singular ridge The lower jaw differs from that of Phoenicopterus and instead shows more similarities to those of the lesser flamingo and the South American species within Phoenicoparrus Specifically the lower jaw is narrow with a deep anterior groove that tapers more gradually than it does in Phoenicopterus The mandibular symphysis was likely shallow and the beak was slightly curved downwards like in Phoenicoparrus and Phoeniconaias 2 In size Leakeyornis was found to have been smaller than the contemporary Harrisonavis from Europe 1 as well as Phoenicopterus novaehollandiae and Phoenicopterus copei 2 Rich and Walker note some differences between specimens found in the Hiwegi Formation and those from the Kulu Formation however taphonomic distortion coupled with erosion render the meaning and origin of these differences uncertain 2 Paleobiology editThe oldest remains of Leakeyornis date to the early Miocene and were found on Rusinga Island in the east of Lake Victoria 3 A femur from Maboko Island indicates that Leakeyornis continued to be present in East Africa until the Middle Miocene however following its extinction no flamingo fossils are known from Africa until at least the late Pliocene 4 References edit a b Mayr G 2014 On the Middle Miocene avifauna of Maboko Island Kenya Geobios 47 3 133 146 Bibcode 2014Geobi 47 133M doi 10 1016 j geobios 2014 03 001 a b c d e Rich P V Walker C A 1983 A New Genus of Miocene Flamingo from East Africa Ostrich 54 2 95 104 doi 10 1080 00306525 1983 9634452 Dyke G J Walker C A 2008 New records of fossil waterbirds from the Miocene of Kenya American Museum Novitates 3610 1 10 doi 10 1206 0003 0082 2008 3610 1 NROFWF 2 0 CO 2 hdl 2246 5906 ISSN 0003 0082 S2CID 53518113 Pickford M 2009 Mio plio pleistocene geology and palaeobiology of Etosha Pan Namibia Communications of the Geological Survey of Namibia 14 95 139 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leakeyornis amp oldid 1213118151, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
