Gymnogyps Lesson, 1842

Suárez, William, 2020, The fossil avifauna of the tar seeps Las Breas de San Felipe, Matanzas, Cuba, Zootaxa 4780 (1), pp. 1-53 : 14-16

Genus Gymnogyps Lesson

† Gymnogyps varonai ( Arredondo, 1971)

Cuban Condor; Condor Cubano

( Figure 7 : A–J)

Antillovultur varonai Arredondo, 1971 , Mem. Soc. Cien. Nat. La Salle, vol. 31, no. 90, p 310. Referred material. San Felipe I: Right coracoid, MNHNCu 75.4596; left humerus without proximal end, MNHN- Cu 75.4821; distal half of right tibiotarsus, MNHNCu 75.4823; right tarsometatarsus without distal end, MNHNCu 75.4822; distal end of left tarsometatarsus, MNHNCu 75.4598; left cuneiform, MNHNCu 75.4664. San Felipe II: Upper mandible (premaxillary-maxillary-maxillopalatine), MNHNCu 75.4613; premaxillary fragments, MNHNCu 75.4594-4595; distal end of left radius, MNHNCu 75.4776; proximal right carpometacarpus, MNHNCu 75.4597.

Description. It differs (see descriptions and figures of this material in Suárez 2000 a, Suárez & Emslie 2003) from other species of the genus by having a skull with strong and massive bill, robust occipital and opisthotic processes, large occipital condyle, a more rostral placement of nuchal crest, and a high cranial vault. These osteological modifications indicate a more developed, or powerful, cervical musculature than in continental species. Postcranial elements ( Fig. 7 A–J) are slightly larger, but similar in characters to the living species Gymnogyps californianus ( Shaw, 1797) .

Measurements. Coracoids.—total length: 98.9; least width at midpoint: 17.0; depth at midpoint of glenoid facet: 21.8. Humerus.—width and depth of shaft at midpoint: 19.0–15.4; distal width: 45.7. Carpometacarpus.— proximal width of metacarpal II: 12.0. Tibiotarsus.—width and depth of shaft: 14.4–11.1; distal width: 25.5; depth of external condyle: 22.8; depth of internal condyle: 23.4. Tarsometatarsus.—Proximal width: 28.1; depth of medial cotyla: 13.7; depth of lateral cotyla: 11.7; least width and depth of shaft: 14.7–8.5; distal width: 33.1; width of trochlea metatarsi III: 11.6.

Comments. This taxon is well known from multiple deposits in Cuba, and the first bird species identified in Las Breas de San Felipe ( Suárez 2000a). The Cuban Condor was described as an endemic, monotypic genus and species, Antillovultur varonai Arredondo, 1971 , on the basis of few fragmentary bones from Quaternary deposits at Cueva de Paredones, La Habana (now Artemisa) Province ( Arredondo 1971). The species was subsequently referred to Gymnogyps (see Suárez 2000a) and redescribed ( Suárez & Emslie 2003). Gymnogyps varonai was the largest vulturid in the Cuban archipelago during the Quaternary, where remains are very common in fossil localities ( Suárez 2000a, 2001). This condor evolved in Cuba from a population of G. californianus or G. kofordi Emslie, 1998 , from Florida and its presence in Cuba demonstrates the ability of condors to disperse over water ( Tambussi & Noriega 1999).

Figures

FIGURE 7. Gymnogyps varonai: Left humerus (MNHNCu 75.4821) in caudal view (A); right coracoid (MNHNCu 75.4596) in posterior/dorsal view (B); right carpometacarpus (MNHNCu 75.4597) in ventral view (C); right tibiotarsus (MNHNCu 75.4823) in anterior (D) and distal (E) views; right tarsometatarsus (MNHNCu 75.4822) in anterior (F), proximal (G) and posterior (H) views; left tarsometatarsus (MNHNCu 75.4598) in anterior (I) and distal (J) views. Scale = 2 cm.