Andalgalornis steulleti (Kraglievich, 1931)

Alvarenga, Herculano M. F. & Höfling, Elizabeth, 2003, Systematic Revision Of The Phorusrhacidae (Aves: Ralliformes), Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 43 (4), pp. 55-91 : 79-80

Andalgalornis steulleti (Kraglievich, 1931)

Phororhacos steulleti Kraglievich, 1931:312 .

Phororhacos deautieri Kraglievich, 1931:312 ; Brodkorb, 1967 (syn. of Andalgalornis steulleti ).

Andalgalornis ferox Patterson & Kraglievich, 1960 ; syn. n.

Andalgalornis steulleti ; Brodkorb, 1967:162.

Type – phalanx 1 of digit IV, left side (MACN-4244) .

Hypodigm – Type; distal portion of the right femur (MACN-6932), type of Phororhacos deautieri Kraglievich, 1931 . Partial skeleton consisting of the skull, mandible, pre-synsacral vertebrae (except the atlas), the pelvis and some broken ribs (FM-P 14357), type of Andalgalornis ferox Patterson & Kraglievich, 1960 .

Horizon and sites – Upper Miocene to Lower Pliocene of Argentina: Andalgala Formation, “Mesopotamian” (= Huayquerian?), the Entre Rios and Catamarca (Chiquimil) Provinces .

Measurements – Table 7, Patterson & Kraglievich (1960).

Illustrations – Kraglievich (1931), Patterson & Kraglievich (1960).

Remarks – The fossils of Phororhacos steulleti and P. deautieri come from the “Mesopotamian”, whilst those of Andalgalornis ferox from Huayquerian (the Andalgala Formation), possibly different ages of the Upper Miocene and (or) Lower Pliocene (Tonni, 1980); Noriega (1995) believes that the “Mesopotamian” is within the Huayquerian. It is possible that the synonymous species herein became distinct (in time), but there is not enough material to corroborate such a hypothesis.

Subfamily Psilopterinae Dolgopol de Saez, 1927

Pelecyornidae Ameghino, 1891 .

Psilopteridae Dolgopol de Saez, 1927 .

Psilopteriidae Kraglievich, 1932.

Psilopterinae Patterson & Kraglievich, 1960 ; Brodkorb, 1967; Mourer-Chauviré, 1981.

Diagnos i s Revised – A relatively small-built Phorusrhacidae , with thinner legs, and a relatively light and graceful body. Relatively big nostril openings; the rostral edge of the antorbital fenestra is well slanted. The mandible possesses a much lengthened fenestra, sometimes divided forming two fenestras. The mandibular symphysis is relatively small when compared to the total length of the mandible. The cervical vertebras are proportionally longer and narrower than in the remaining subfamilies. The length of the tarsometatarsus is about 70 to 75% of that of the tibiotarsus. The leg bones are proportionally slimmer than in the Patagornithinae and the other Phorusrhacidae .

Included Genera – Psilopterus Moreno & Mercerat, 1891 , Procariama Rovereto, 1914 and Paleopsilopterus Alvarenga, 1985 .