Patagornis Moreno & Mercerat, 1891

Alvarenga, Herculano M. F. & Höfling, Elizabeth, 2003, Systematic Revision Of The Phorusrhacidae (Aves: Ralliformes), Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 43 (4), pp. 55-91 : 77

Genus Patagornis Moreno & Mercerat, 1891

revalid. name

Patagornis Moreno & Mercerat, 1891 (May) .

Tolmodus Ameghino, 1891 (June) ; Brodkorb, 1967 (syn. of Paleociconia).

Morenomerceraria Lambrecht, 1933 ; Brodkorb, 1967 (syn. of Paleociconia).

Paleociconia Brodkorb, 1967; Mourer-Chauviré, 1981.

Type Species – Patagornis marshi, Moreno & Mercerat, 1891 . Designated by Richmond, 1902.

Included Species – Only the type species.

Moreno & Mercerat (PL. XIX-12) is only assigned to Paleociconia cristata , without any description, thus being also insufficient to validate the taxon. The term Paleociconia becomes even more confused when Lydekker (1891) committed a grave mistake while describing and picturing the distal extremity of a tarsometatarsus of a true Ciconiidae of the Pleistocene of Lagoa Santa, Brazil, on assigning it to Paleociconia australis Moreno, 1889 . In spite of the commentaries emitted by the abovementioned authors, Moreno (1889) had created the genera Mesembriornis and Paleociconia, and nowadays, knowing the respective material on which these genera were based, it is known that they are synonyms and that Paleociconia (Moreno, 1889:29) is a junior synonym of Mesembriornis (Moreno, 1889:30) , which in turn is an available name, with type material also available for new studies, and so cannot be rejected as nomen nudum.

Distribution – The Lower and Middle Miocene of Argentina.

Diagnosis – The antorbital fenestra with the rostral edge moderately inclined (much inclined in Andrewsornis and little inclined in Andalgalornis ) ( Figs. 26A, 26B and 26C ). The dorsal portion of the nostrils is very outstanding. Slightly curved mandibular symphysis (the apex is not raised) ( Fig. 26B ).

Remarks – Patagornis Moreno & Mercerat, 1891 (May- August) has priority over Tolmodus Ameghino, 1891 (June) , as held by Mercerat (1897:227) on the question.

Figures

FIGURE 26. Skulls of the Patagornithinae (A-C), Mesembriornithinae (D) and Psiloterinae (E-J). A - Andrewsornis abbotti (FM-P13417; from Patterson, 1941), B - Patagornis marshi (BMNH-A-516; from Andrews, 1899), C - Andalgalornis steulleti (FM-P14357); D - Mesembriornis milneedwardsi (MMP-S155); E - Procariama simplex (FM-P14525); F - Psilopterus lemoinei (FM-P13257); G - Psilopterus lemoinei (PUM-15402); H - Psilopterus lemoinei (AMNH-9157); I - Psilopterus lemoinei (PUM-15109); J - Psilopterus bachmanni (PUM-15904). G-J inverted figures from Sinclair & Farr (1910).