Struthio asiaticus Milne-Edwards, 1871

Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile & Geraads, Denis, 2010, The Upper Pliocene Avifauna of Ahl al Oughlam, Morocco. Systematics and Biogeography, Records of the Australian Museum 62 (1), pp. 157-184 : 158-159

Struthio asiaticus Milne-Edwards, 1871

Mourer-Chauviré & Geraads (2008) described material belonging to this species. Struthio asiaticus is an ostrich characterized by its massive proportions, in particular the proportions of phalanx 1 of posterior digit III. This phalanx is more massive than that of the Recent species S. camelus . At Ahl al Oughlam the bones are associated with fragments of eggshells of struthioid type. The thickness of these eggshell fragments varies from 2.3 to 2.7 mm, with an average value of 2.54 mm and they are thicker than in the Recent S. camelus (eggshell thickness 1.6 to 2.1 mm). The pore openings are grouped together in shallow pits, the diameters of which vary from 0.5 to 1 mm, and their density varies from 10 to 20 per cm 2. Each pit contains about 50 pore openings. Struthio asiaticus was widespread during the Pliocene in Europe and Asia (Mourer-Chauviré & Geraads, 2008).

Order Procellariiformes