Titanis walleri Brodkorb, 1963

Alvarenga, Herculano M. F. & Höfling, Elizabeth, 2003, Systematic Revision Of The Phorusrhacidae (Aves: Ralliformes), Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 43 (4), pp. 55-91 : 76

Titanis walleri Brodkorb, 1963

Holotype – Distal portion of the right tarsometatarsus (UF-4108).

Hypodigm – Holotype; phalanx I of digit III (UF-4109) associated (?) to the holotype; phalanx 1 of digit III (TMM-43060-115); proximal extremity of the left tibiotarsus (UF-7333); complete left carpometacarpus (UF-30003, Fig. 6A ); two complete cervical vertebras (C2 and C3); the proximal portion of the right fibula, phalanges 1, 2 and 3 of the left digit III and two phalanges 1 of digit IV (left and right) ( UF wt/n.).

Horizon and Locality – Upper Pliocene to Lower Pleistocene (end of the Blancanian to the beginning of the Irvingtonian ) of Florida, ( Inglis , on the border between Gilchrist and Columbia County), and the Pleistocene of Texas (Baskin, 1995) .

Measurements – Tables 1 and 6, Carr (1981), Chandler (1994) and Baskin (1995).

Illustrations – Brodkorb, (1963), Carr (1981), Chandler (1994) and Baskin (1995).

Remarks – This is the only Phorusrhacidae known outside South America, one of the most recent species, attesting to these birds crossing over to North America on the forming of the land-bridge connecting North and South America, in the Panama region, at the end of the Pliocene. When compared with other Phorusrhacidae , the examined material indicates a large variation in the size of Titanis , maybe leading one to presume sexual dimorphism.

Subfamily Patagornithinae Mercerat, 1897 ,

revalid. name

Patagornithidae Mercerat, 1897.

Tolmodinae Kraglievich, 1932.

Paleociconiinae Brodkorb, 1967 ; Mourer-Chauviré, 1981.

Diagnos i s Revised – A relatively medium-sized Phorusrhacidae , smaller and slimmer than the Phorusrhacinae ( Fig. 1D ). A long and narrow mandibular symphysis ( Figs. 25 and 26 ). Long and slender tarsometatarsi, more than 70% of the length of the tibiotarsus. The tibiotarsi and tarsometatarsi are proportionally more slender than those of the Phorusrhacinae .

Included Genera – Patagornis Moreno & Mercerat, 1891 , Andrewsornis Patterson, 1941 , and Andalgalornis Patterson & Kraglievich, 1960 .

Remarks – Brodkorb (1967) considered the term Paleociconia revalidated by Moreno & Mercerat (1891), and based on this created the subfamily Paleociconiinae . The genus Paleociconia Moreno, 1889, having as type-species Paleociconia australis assigned by Richmond (1901), is based on a distal half of a left tarsometatarsus, once again described and also pictured by Moreno & Mercerat (1891). Patterson & Kraglievich (1960:6-8), comment on the extremely superficial diagnosis, without any illustration, by Moreno (1889), and consider Paleociconia australis as nomen nudum. Kraglievich (1931:305) and Brodkorb (1967), consider the genus Paleociconia revalidated by Moreno & Mercerat (1891), having as type-species Paleociconia cristata Moreno & Mercerat , designated by Rovereto (1914:163). It so happens that Paleociconia cristata Moreno & Mercerat, 1891 , is based on the very resumed description of two broken cervical vertebras, of a much smaller species, possibly a Psilopterinae , without the characteristics to permit a precise identification and so should be considered as species inquirenda. One ungual phalanx ilustrated by

Figures

FIGURE 1. Reproduction (by E. Brettas) of some Phorusrhacidae keeping the due proportion as to size. The silhouette of a man 1.75 m high is used as a scale. A - Brontornis burmeisteri; B - Paraphysornis brasiliensis; C - Phorusrhacos longissimus; D - Andalgalornis steuletti; E - Psilopterus bachmanni; F - Psilopterus lemoinei; G - Procariama simplex; H - Mesembriornis milneedwardsi.

FIGURE 6. Lateral view of the carpometacarpus (A and E right side; B, C, D, F and G left side). A - Titanis walleri (cast, UF-30003); B - Paraphysornis brasiliensis (DGM-1418-R);C - Patagornis marshi (cast, BMNH-A-516); D - Psilopterus australis (cast, BMNH-A-559); E - Ameghinornis minor (cast, MHNP-QU15750); F - Cariama cristata (MHNT-1136); G - Opisthocomus hoazin (MHNT-665).

FIGURE 25. Andrewsornis abbotti. Mandibular symphysis (FM-P13383), from Pico Truncado, Rio Deseado, Province of Santa Cruz, Argentina: A - left lateral, B - dorsal and C - ventral, views. Left femur (FM-P14678): D - dorsal, E - lateral and F - ventral, views.

FIGURE 26. Skulls of the Patagornithinae (A-C), Mesembriornithinae (D) and Psiloterinae (E-J). A - Andrewsornis abbotti (FM-P13417; from Patterson, 1941), B - Patagornis marshi (BMNH-A-516; from Andrews, 1899), C - Andalgalornis steulleti (FM-P14357); D - Mesembriornis milneedwardsi (MMP-S155); E - Procariama simplex (FM-P14525); F - Psilopterus lemoinei (FM-P13257); G - Psilopterus lemoinei (PUM-15402); H - Psilopterus lemoinei (AMNH-9157); I - Psilopterus lemoinei (PUM-15109); J - Psilopterus bachmanni (PUM-15904). G-J inverted figures from Sinclair & Farr (1910).