Necropsar Günther & Newton 1879

Hume, Julian Pender, 2014, Systematics, morphology, and ecological history of the Mascarene starlings (Aves: Sturnidae) with the description of a new genus and species from Mauritius, Zootaxa 3849 (1), pp. 1-75 : 44

Genus Necropsar Günther & Newton 1879

Necropsar Günther & Newton, 1879 (ex Slater MS) 168: 427, type species Necropsar rodericanus .

Testudophaga Hachisuka, 1937, p. 212, type species T. bicolor Hachisuka (= Necropsar rodericanus )

Rodriguites (Cowles) in Strahm, 1989b, p. 39. nomen nudum, type species R. microcarina (Cowles) nomen nudum.

Etymology. Greek nekros, dead and psar, starling, in reference to the starling being known only from fossils.

Revised diagnosis. Necropsar is distinguished from other Mascarene sturnids by the following characters: Cranium: comparatively dorso-ventrally compressed; frontal wide; crista nuchalis transversus oval-shaped with distinct protruding prominentia cerebellaris; foramen n. optici large, larger than fonticuli orbitocraniales, which is divided into two in one specimen.

Rostrum: long and comparatively wide, with a large oval nasal opening; dorsal os nasale wide; os premaxillare robust and comparatively straight.

Mandible: rostrum mandibulae wide and sharp; processus mandibulae medialis small; single small fenestra rostralis mandibulae; rostrum mandibulae deeply excavated; in lateral view, proximal ends comparatively deep and robust; processus retroarticularis robust, extended and directed medially. Coracoid: small and comparatively gracile.

Sternum: processus craniolateralis long and blade-like and deflected laterally; spina externa broadly bifurcated; apex carinae extremely reduced with little extension anterior to pila carinae; carinae sterni shallow; fenestra medialis reduced.

Humerus: gracile; shaft curved; tuberculum ventrale small; two tricipital fossae; tricipital fossa II not completely enclosed and separated from tricipital fossa I by medial bar; tricipital fossa I open distally communicating with tricipital fossa II; processus supracondylaris dorsalis reduced, with little proximal extension; crista deltopectoralis reduced, shallow in dorsal view.

Ulna : small and comparatively gracile.

Carpometacarpus: small; pronounced processus extensorius; no extension of os metacarpale minus distal to os metacarpale majus.

Femur: large and robust, particularly at proximal and distal ends; shaft straight with proximal and distal expansion; sulcus intercondylaris deeply excavated; facies articularis acetabularis comparatively large; in caudal aspect, sulcus patellaris shallow proximal to condyles.

Tibiotarsus: large and robust; shaft broad and expanded, particularly proximal to distal end; tuberculum retinaculi m. fibularis distinct; sulcus extensorius deeply excavated; pons supratendineus large; crista cnemialis cranialis broad and expanded; impressio ligamenti collateralis medialis deep emphasising a ridge distal to crista cnemialis cranialis.

Tarsometatarsus: long and robust; shaft comparatively straight; trochleae expanded; impressio retinaculi extensorii generally without bridge, but present in one specimen (NHMUK A1475); crista medialis hypotarsi large and square-shaped; foramen vasculare distale deeply excavated; distinct ridge along facies dorsalis; fossa metatarsi I extends further proximad, with indistinct medial ridge; in ventral view, trochlea metatarsi III wide and indistinctly larger than trochlea metatarsi II; fossa parahypotarsalis medialis not situated in distinct groove.