Albrecht Manegold

Monophyletic groups within 'higher land birds' - comparison of morphological and molecular data

The relationships within the ‘higher land birds’ and putatively related taxa are analysed in a study using 89 morphological characters and DNA sequences of three nuclear, protein-coding genes, c-myc, RAG-1, and myoglobin intron II. Separate analyses of the different data sets and a ‘total evidence’ analysis in which the data sets of the morphological and molecular analyses were combined are compared. All three analyses support the hitherto disputed sister group relationship between Pici (Ramphastidae, Indicatoridae and Picidae) and Galbulae (Galbulidae and Bucconidae). Previously unrecognized osteological synapomorphies of this clade are presented. All analyses further resulted in monophyly of the taxon [Aegothelidae + (Apodidae/Hemiprocnidae + Trochilidae)]. Analysis of the morphological data and of the combined data set also supported monophyly of the taxon [Strigiformes + (Falconidae + Accipitridae)]. The morphological data further support monophyly of the taxon (Upupidae + Bucerotidae). Other placements in the three analyses received either no or only weak bootstrap support.

MIOCENE SONGBIRDS AND THE COMPOSITION OF THE EUROPEAN PASSERIFORM AVIFAUNA

Abstract Songbirds (Passeriformes) occur in the fossil record of the Northern Hemisphere around the early Oligocene. It has recently been suggested that the major passeriform lineages diverged in Gondwana in the mid- to late Cretaceous and that the oscines, which include all extant European songbirds, originated on the Australian continental plate. Suboscines are assumed to have originated in western Gondwana. Although there is an abundant fossil record of songbirds in Europe, few attempts have been made to set those remains in a phylogenetic context. Our examination of fossil songbirds from three middle Miocene localities in Germany and France shows that many lack the derived morphology of the hypotarsus that characterizes extant Eupasseres (a taxon that comprises oscines and suboscines). We assume that these fossil taxa are outside the crown-group of Eupasseres, which indicates the presence of an ancient songbird avifauna in the Miocene of Europe, in addition to the few fossil Eupasseres already described in the literature.

A SMALL SUBOSCINE-LIKE PASSERIFORM BIRD FROM THE EARLY OLIGOCENE OF FRANCE

Abstract We report the wing bones of a small passeriform bird from the early Oligocene of France, which are among the earliest fossil remains of Passeriformes in Europe. The specimen is clearly distinguished from oscines, to which all extant European passeriforms belong, and closely resembles suboscine passerines in presumably derived features. If future, more complete specimens support its assignment to the suboscines, it would be the earliest fossil record of this passeriform taxon. Together with other fossils from the early Oligocene of Germany, it indicates that nonoscine passerines colonized Europe before the arrival of oscines.

New early Pliocene owls from Langebaanweg, South Africa, with first evidence of Athene south of the Sahara and a new species of Tyto.

The fossiliferous Upper Varswater Formation at Langebaanweg (South Africa) produced remains of at least five species of owls (Strigiformes). Tyto richae sp. nov. is the first palaeospecies of Tytonidae described from an African fossil site, though indeterminate remains referable to the genus Tyto are known from the Middle Miocene of Morocco, the early Pliocene of Ethiopia, and the Pliocene of Tanzania. Athene inexpectata sp. nov. is not only the earliest documented fossil evidence for the genus worldwide, but also the first record of a species of Athene in Africa south of the Sahara. Proportions of its hind limb indicate that At. inexpectata sp. nov. probably has been as terrestrial as its modern relative At. cunicularia. A few additional remains represent the earliest fossil evidence for the genera Asio and Bubo on the African continent, though the poor preservation of these bones prevents more detailed identifications. A distal tibiotarsus of a small owl about the size of At. inexpectata sp. nov. indicates the presence of a fifth, as yet indeterminate, species of owl at Langebaanweg. Biogeographical and palaeoecological implications of this assemblage of owls are discussed.

Two Swallow Species from the Early Pliocene of Langebaanweg (South Africa)

The Varswater Formation of Langebaanweg at the west coast of South Africa is one of the few fossil sites in Africa dating from the early Pliocene (approx. 5 Mya) (Hendey 1981) and excels in being especially rich in well preserved, though generally isolated, bird remains. Rich (1980: 166) regarded this site as richest pre-Pleistocene bird bone accumulation in the world with at least 60 bird species representing among them penguins, tubenoses, parrots and mousebirds. Studies on seabirds, ibises and other taxa (Olson 1985a, b, 1994) indicated that the Pliocene avifauna is even more diverse than initially thought. Passerines are represented by at least nine species (Rich 1980), but no attempts have been made so far to identify these specimens below the subordinal level. The screening of previously unsorted and unidentified material excavated during the 1960s and 1970s at “E” Quarry, Langebaanweg, yielded several hundred remains of passerines. This sample included five fragmentary humeri that show the characteristics of swallows and martins (Hirundinidae), which are described herein.