Buteogallus, Lesson, 1830

Suárez, William, 2020, The fossil avifauna of the tar seeps Las Breas de San Felipe, Matanzas, Cuba, Zootaxa 4780 (1), pp. 1-53 : 17

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4780.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D6CC1683-8BF0-4ABF-ABFE-3EC63E66AE5C

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3856807

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039EF96A-FFEB-2247-ED83-FBE5FC35F855

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Buteogallus
status

 

Buteogallus View in CoL cf. † B. fragilis (L. Miller, 1911)

Fragile Eagle; Águila Fragil

( Figure 8 View FIGURE 8 : I–J)

Geranoaetus fragilis L. Miller, 1911 , Univ. Calif. Publ. Bull. Dept. Geol., Vol. 6, no.12, p 315.

Referred material. San Felipe II: Distal end of right tibiotarsus, MNHNCu 75.4735; distal segment of shaft of left tarsometatarsus, MNHNCu 75.4736.

Description. Smaller when compared with Buteogallus borrasi or “ Amplibuteo ” woodwardi. Specimen MNHN- Cu 75.4735 differs from the tibiotarsus of Geranoaetus melanoleucus , and agrees with those of B. fragilis (L. Miller, 1911) , in its slightly smaller size, flattened supratendinal bridge (not inflated or domed) with more horizontal orientation, less deep and wider tendinal groove, and medial condyle much more projected mediad. This specimen is identical in small details and size to tibiotarsus RLB E4091, within the series of this bone examined (N = 33). The distal fragment of tarsometatarsus MNHNCu 75.4736, differs from the equivalent element in G. melanoleucus , by having the metatarsal facet in a lower (or distad) position and being slightly smaller, also as in B. fragilis . This specimen is very similar in size and characters to RLB D3604, within the series of tarsometatarsi examined (N = 70) of the latter species. For comparisons between B. fragilis and B. borrasi , see Suárez & Olson (2007: 293).

Measurements. (RLB specimens in parenthesis). Tibiotarsus.—distal width: 15.3+ (15.3–17.8 [16.7] 27). Tarsometatarsus.—least width of shaft: 7.9 (6.4–8.4 [7.3] 33).

Comments. Comparisons with other accipitrids (see Appendix 1) and with extensive series of B. fragilis from Rancho La Brea, California, show that the two Cuban specimens are referable to this taxon. This record is the first for Cuba and the Antilles, as well as the first occurrence of the species outside the continental mainland. This raptor is probably another member of the Cuban avifauna derived from populations established in Florida, as the taxon is considered to have been present in that peninsula since the late Pliocene ( Emslie 1998).

Another extinct hawk, close in general character to those present in B. fragilis —see Howard (1932) for descriptions, comparisons, and discussion of characters that place “ Geranoaetus fragilis under Urubitinga (= Buteogallus )—but much smaller and not referable to the species B. gundlachii ( Cabanis, 1855) , B. anthracinus ( Deppe, 1830) , or any of the other member of the genus, is described below.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Aves

Order

Accipitriformes

Family

Accipitridae

Loc

Buteogallus

Suárez, William 2020
2020
Loc

Geranoaetus fragilis

L. Miller 1911
1911
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