Asphaltoglaux, Campbell & Bochenski, 2013

Campbell, Kenneth E., Jr. & Bochenski, Zbigniew M., 2013, Two new late Pleistocene miniature owls from Rancho La Brea, California, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 58 (4), pp. 707-721 : 717

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.4202/app.2011.0125

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/E956FC3B-FF98-C52E-FAA5-3227FB2E6E95

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Asphaltoglaux
status

 

Genus Asphaltoglaux nov.

Type species: Asphaltoglaux cecileae sp. nov., monotypic; see below.

Etymology: Form Greek asphalto, asphalt; glaux, owl; in reference to deposits, in which it has been found.

Diagnosis.— Asphaltoglaux resembles Aegolius , and differs from the similar−sized Glaucidium , in characters of the tarsometatarsus listed above that distinguish Aegolius from Glaucidium .

Asphaltoglaux is distinguished from Aegolius by having tarsometatarsus with (1) Cotyla medialis with rim of medial side not projecting mediad beyond edge of shaft (rim of medial side projecting mediad beyond edge of shaft in Aegolius ); (2) Cotyla medialis with medial side of anterior rim not projecting sharply anteriad, thus anterior rim fairly straight leading to Eminentia intercotylaris (medial side of anterior rim projecting sharply anteriad in Aegolius , thus anterior rim curves posteriad before reaching Eminentia intercotylaris, giving a more restricted path for tendon of M. extensor digitorum longus); (3) notch between Eminentia intercotylaris and Cotyla lateralis moderately deep and open, giving a shallow, more open Sulcus extensorius proximally (notch and Sulcus extensorius deep and more restricted proximally in Aegolius ); (4) Sulcus extensorius broader and facing more anteriad than in Aegolius , where it appears to be rotated and set more deeply into medial side of shaft; (5) shaft, in medial view, with posteroproximal edge of Fac. medialis slanting toward middle of medial edge of Cotyla medialis (i.e., Fac. medialis narrows anteroposteriorly toward proximal end) (shaft with posteroproximal edge of Fac. medialis fairly straight, in line with posteromedial corner of Cotyla medialis in Aegolius ); (6) Crista lateralis hypotarsi projecting very little laterad and proximad, with lateral edge fairly straight in proximal view and proximolateral edge sloping gradually anteriad in line with that of lateral rim of Cotyla lateralis, in lateral view (projects much more laterad and proximad, with lateral edge stepped away from lateral edge of Cotyla lateralis in both proximal and lateral views in Aegolius ); (7) Crista medialis hypotarsi with medial side short proximodistally and deeply concave, the latter an affect resulting from position of posteroproximal edge of Fac. medialis (medial side longer proximodistally and less concave in Aegolius ); (8) Crista medialis hypotarsi very thick mediolaterally (thin, or slender, mediolaterally, in Aegolius ); (9) Fac. plantaris of Crista medialis hypotarsi very broad, thick, rounded or oval shaped, projecting significantly mediad but only slightly proximad (Fac. plantaris elongated, projecting slightly mediad, but projecting significantly proximad in Aegolius ); (10) Trochlea metatarsi III with anterior edge projecting only slightly anteriad of Trochlea metatarsi II, with broad, shallow metatarsal groove not extending far onto its anterior face, in distal view (Trochlea metatarsi III with anterior edge projecting significantly more anteriad of Trochlea metatarsi II, and with metatarsal groove narrower, deeper, and extending well onto its anterior face in Aegolius ); and (11) Trochlea metatarsi IV with distal end protruding only slightly laterad, in anterior view, and with distal edge, in lateral view, very slightly concave proximad (Trochlea metatarsi IV protrudes laterad, in anterior view, and the distal edge is slightly convex distad, in lateral view, in Aegolius ).

Geographic and stratigraphic range.—Rancho La Brea, California, USA; upper Pleistocene.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Aves

Order

Strigiformes

Family

Strigidae

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