Paraptenodytes robustus
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| Paraptenodytes robustus Fossil range: Early Miocene |
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| Paraptenodytes robustus (Ameghino, 1895) |
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Paraptenodytes robustus is the type species of the penguin genus Palaeospheniscus, which is known from fossils. It was medium-sized, an estimated 70-80 cm long in life (similar to a Magellanic Penguin).
The fossils of this species are known from several dozen bones, found in Early Miocene rocks of the Patagonian Molasse Formation. Documented locations are near La Cueva, Trelew in Chubut Province, and Puerto San Julián in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. Most remains are only tentatively assigned to this species, however, and the tarsometatarsus formerly referred to as Treleudytes crassus may belong to a completely different species. On the other hand, Paraptenodytes brodkorbi is probably synonymous with P. robustus.
[edit] References
- Ameghino, Florentino (1895): Sur les oiseaux fossiles de Patagonie. Bol. Inst. Geogr. Argentina 15 501-602. [Article in French]
- Simpson, George Gaylord (1946): Fossil penguins. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 87: 7-99. PDF fulltext
- Simpson, George Gaylord (1971): Conspectus of Patagonian fossil penguins. American Museum Novitates 2488: 1-37. PDF fulltext
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