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Nasidytes is an extinct genus of loon (Gaviiformes) that lived during the early Eocene in what is now Great Britain. It contains a single species, N. ypresianus. Nasidytes is the earliest unambiguously identified loon in the fossil record.[1]
The holotype of Nasidytes ypresianus, NMS.Z.2021.40.24, was collected in 1992 by Michael Daniels, in Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex, UK. It is from the Walton Member of the London Clay Formation. The holotype is a partial skeleton including the mandible and most major wing, pectoral girdle, and leg bones. NMS.Z.2021.40.25, a left carpometacarpus collected in 1996 by Daniels, has also been referred to N. ypresianus.[1]
In 2022, Gerald Mayr and Andrew C Kitchener describedNasidytes ypresianus. The generic name is derived from the Latinnasus ("nose", in reference to the semantically related word "Naze" in the name of the type locality) and the Greek δύτες (dytes), meaning "diver". The specific name refers to the Ypresianage of the Eocene, when the holotype dates to.[1]
Descriptionedit
The skeleton displays marked differences from modern loons, more closely resembling fellow fossil loons Colymbiculus and Colymboides. The mandible of Nasidytes is more like that of coots in its proportions than that of modern loons, indicating Nasidytes had a proportionally shorter and wider beak than its living relatives. The single preserved thoracic vertebra exhibits hollow spaces called pleurocoels, which are present in many neornithinestem group representatives but not in modern loons. The carpometacarpus is long, more than half the length of the humerus; a long carpometacarpus is a derived trait of gaviiforms. The pedal phalanges, particularly those of the second toe, are elongated, as in modern loons and many other water birds. One of the ungual phalanges is preserved and has a shape characteristic for many birds with webbed feet.[1]
Because of its differently-shaped beak, Nasidytes probably wasn't a pursuit predator of fish like modern loons, which have long, narrow, dagger-like beaks. Instead, with its shorter, wider beak, Nasidytes likely fed mainly on marine invertebrates.[1]
Though Nasidytes was aquatic, it was less adapted for sustained foot-propelled diving than modern loons. According to Mayr and Kitchener, "Nasidytes might have had a coot- or diving duck-like ecology, performing short, foot-propelled dives in search for food."[1]
Paleoenvironmentedit
The sediments Nasidytes was found in represent a nearshore marine environment.[1]
Referencesedit
^ abcdefghMayr, Gerald; Kitchener, Andrew C (2022-07-14). "Oldest fossil loon documents a pronounced ecomorphological shift in the evolution of gaviiform birds". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 196 (4): 1431–1450. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac045. ISSN 0024-4082.
January 01, 1970
nasidytes, this, article, relies, largely, entirely, single, source, relevant, discussion, found, talk, page, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, citations, additional, sources, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, july, 2022,. This article relies largely or entirely on a single source Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources Find sources Nasidytes news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2022 Nasidytes is an extinct genus of loon Gaviiformes that lived during the early Eocene in what is now Great Britain It contains a single species N ypresianus Nasidytes is the earliest unambiguously identified loon in the fossil record 1 NasidytesTemporal range Early Eocene Ypresian 55 54 6 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Aves Order Gaviiformes Genus NasidytesMayr amp Kitchener 2022 Type species Nasidytes ypresianusMayr amp Kitchener 2022 Contents 1 Discovery and naming 2 Description 3 Classification 4 Paleobiology 5 Paleoenvironment 6 ReferencesDiscovery and naming editThe holotype of Nasidytes ypresianus NMS Z 2021 40 24 was collected in 1992 by Michael Daniels in Walton on the Naze Essex UK It is from the Walton Member of the London Clay Formation The holotype is a partial skeleton including the mandible and most major wing pectoral girdle and leg bones NMS Z 2021 40 25 a left carpometacarpus collected in 1996 by Daniels has also been referred to N ypresianus 1 In 2022 Gerald Mayr and Andrew C Kitchener described Nasidytes ypresianus The generic name is derived from the Latin nasus nose in reference to the semantically related word Naze in the name of the type locality and the Greek dytes dytes meaning diver The specific name refers to the Ypresian age of the Eocene when the holotype dates to 1 Description editThe skeleton displays marked differences from modern loons more closely resembling fellow fossil loons Colymbiculus and Colymboides The mandible of Nasidytes is more like that of coots in its proportions than that of modern loons indicating Nasidytes had a proportionally shorter and wider beak than its living relatives The single preserved thoracic vertebra exhibits hollow spaces called pleurocoels which are present in many neornithine stem group representatives but not in modern loons The carpometacarpus is long more than half the length of the humerus a long carpometacarpus is a derived trait of gaviiforms The pedal phalanges particularly those of the second toe are elongated as in modern loons and many other water birds One of the ungual phalanges is preserved and has a shape characteristic for many birds with webbed feet 1 Classification editPhylogenetic analysis found Nasidytes to be the most basal member of Gaviiformes 1 Gaviiformes Nasidytes ypresianus Colymbiculus udovichenkoi Colymboides minutus Colymboides metzleri Petralca austriaca crown group GaviiformesPaleobiology editBecause of its differently shaped beak Nasidytes probably wasn t a pursuit predator of fish like modern loons which have long narrow dagger like beaks Instead with its shorter wider beak Nasidytes likely fed mainly on marine invertebrates 1 Though Nasidytes was aquatic it was less adapted for sustained foot propelled diving than modern loons According to Mayr and Kitchener Nasidytes might have had a coot or diving duck like ecology performing short foot propelled dives in search for food 1 Paleoenvironment editThe sediments Nasidytes was found in represent a nearshore marine environment 1 References edit a b c d e f g h Mayr Gerald Kitchener Andrew C 2022 07 14 Oldest fossil loon documents a pronounced ecomorphological shift in the evolution of gaviiform birds Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 196 4 1431 1450 doi 10 1093 zoolinnean zlac045 ISSN 0024 4082 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nasidytes amp oldid 1192934571, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
