Devincenzia Kraglievich, 1932

Alvarenga, Herculano M. F. & Höfling, Elizabeth, 2003, Systematic Revision Of The Phorusrhacidae (Aves: Ralliformes), Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 43 (4), pp. 55-91 : 73-74

Genus Devincenzia Kraglievich, 1932

Devincenzia Kraglievich, 1932:323 , 338.

Onactornis Cabrera, 1939:15 ; syn. n.

Type Species – Devincenzia gallinali Kraglievich, 1932 , junior synonym of Devincenzia pozzi (Kraglievich, 1931) .

Included Species – Only the type species.

Distribution – Upper Miocene to the Lower Pliocene of Argentina and Uruguay.

Diagnosis – They are the biggest of the known Phorusrhacinae , with a height comparable to that of the largest Brontornithinae , being, however, lighter. The skull is about 65 cm long, equivalent to that of Phorusrhacos , this being possibly flattened dorso-ventrally ( Fig. 32A ). The tarsometatarsus is substantially sturdier than that of Phorusrhacos ( Figs. 2F and 22A ).

Remarks – The general appearance of the tarsometatarsus of Devincenzia (MNHN-189, Fig. 2F ), appears to indicate an intermediate position between the Phorusrhacinae and Brontornithinae , as observed by Kraglievich (1932) himself. However, the appearance of the bony cortex makes it clear that one is dealing with a not yet completely adult individual. As happens with several present-day Ralliformes , especially the Rallidae and Cariamidae , besides other groups of birds, it is normal that the proximal metaphysary portion of the tarsometatarsus reaches, in youngsters, a larger width than that in the adults, associated to a shorter length of the bone. Consequently, one supposes that the tarsometatarsus of Devincenzia , in the adult phase, might be a little longer and with the proximal region slightly narrower than appears in the refered specimen. The origin of this tarsometatarsus (MNHN-189), type of Devincenzia gallinali Kraglievich, 1932 , and, consequently, its geological age, are unknown. From the appearance of the bone (and certainly the remains of the encrusted substract), Kraglievich supposed it to have originated from the Arroyo Roman, Rio Negro, Uruguay, and points out the difference of color, especially when compared with the bones coming from Patagonia, without, however, comparing it with specimens from the Huayquerian of north Argentina, studied years before by he himself (1931).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Dorsal view of the tarsometatarsi of the Brontornithinae (A-D) and Phorusrhacinae (E-F):A - Physornis fortis (MACN-A-52-185); B - Paraphysornis brasiliensis (DGM-1418-R); C - Brontornis burmeisteri (FM-P13259); D - Brontornis burmeisteri (lectotype MLP-91); E - Phorusrhacos longissimus (MLP-76.V.10.11, type of Liornis minor Dolgopol de Saez, 1927); F - Devincenzia pozzi (MNHN-M-189, type of Devincenzia gallinali Kraglievich, 1932).A-D left side; E-F right side.

FIGURE 22. Right tarsometatarsus (distal end) of the Phorusrhacinae: A - Devincenzia pozzi (type: MACN-6554); B - Phorusrhacos longissimus (MLP-132) and C - Titanis walleri (type: UF-4108).Dorsal (above) and plantar (below) views.Note in Titanis a widening of the transverse diameter on the distal end of the midtrochlea.

FIGURE 32. Procariama simplex (FM-P14525), from Corral Quemado, Catamarca, Argentina. A - femurs, dorsal view; B - tibiotarsus, ventral view; C - tarsometatarsus, dorsal view. r = right; l = left