Rupelornis definitus, van Beneden, 1871

Mayr, Gerald & Smith, Thierry, 2012, Phylogenetic affinities and taxonomy of the Oligocene Diomedeoididae, and the basal divergences amongst extant procellariiform birds, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 166 (4), pp. 854-875 : 856-857

RUPELORNIS DEFINITUS VAN BENEDEN, 1871

( FIGS 1–6 )

1871 Vanellus selysii van Beneden : 259; fig. 2.

1871 Anas creccoides van Beneden : fig. 4.

non 1871 Anas creccoides van Beneden : 260; fig. 3.

1983 Gaviota lipsiensis Fischer : 152–153; figs 1, 2.

1985 Diomedeoides minimus Fischer : 113–118; figs 1–6, 12, 13, 15, 16.

1996 Ardeita gracilis Cheneval : 538 [nomen nudum; unpublished name on specimen label of IRSNB Av 109].

1997 Frigidafons brodkorbi Fischer : 278–280; figs 17–22.

2002 Diomedeoides lipsiensis Mayr et al. : 671–674; figs 6, 7.

2003 Diomedeoides brodkorbi Fischer : 387–390; figs 1–7.

Referred specimens: IRSNB Av 102a-g (two distal ends of left humeri, distal end of right humerus, proximal ends of left and right ulnae, extremitas cranialis of left scapula, proximal end of left carpometacarpus; collection Hasse IG 20664, found in 1913); IRSNB Av 103a-d (right coracoid, distal end of right humerus, distal end of left tibiotarsus, distal end of right tarsometatarsus; collection Hasse IG 20664, found in 1901); IRSNB Av 104a-g (cranial portion of corpus sterni, distal end of left humerus, right phalanx proximalis digiti majoris, left tarsometatarsus, proximal phalanges of left and right first toes, proximal phalange of left third toe; collection Hasse IG 20664, found in 1907); IRSNB Av 105 (left carpometacarpus; collection Hasse IG 20664, found in 1904); IRSNB Av 106a-c (right coracoid, left tarsometatarsus, proximal phalanx of left fourth toe; collection Hasse IG 20664); IRSNB Av 107a-c (extremitas cranialis of right scapula, left coracoid, distal end of right ulna; collection Hasse IG 20664); IRSNB Av 108a-d (right ulna, proximal end of right carpometacarpus, left femur, right tarsometatarsus; collection Hasse IG 20664); IRSNB Av 109a-n (proximal end of right mandible, thoracic vertebra, proximal end of right humerus, distal end of left humerus, proximal end of left humerus and distal end of right humerus (erroneously assembled together), left and right ulnae, proximal end of left radius, distal end of right radius, proximal ends of left and right carpometacarpus, synsacrum with parts of alae praeacetabulares ilii, proximal end of left tibiotarsus and distal end of right tibiotarsus (erroneously assembled together), distal end of right tarsometatarsus; these specimens were studied by Lambrecht and are labelled as ‘ Ardeita gracilis ’); IRSNB Av 110 (left tarsometatarsus; collection Peters IG 11270, found in 1937); IRSNB Av 111 (proximal left humerus; collection Delheid IG 8289, found in 1882); IRSNB Av 112a-f (left coracoid, proximal and distal ends of left ulna, proximal end of right tibiotarsus, left femur, proximal phalanx of right fourth toe; collection Delheid IG 8289); IRSNB Av 113 (proximal end of right tarsometatarsus; collection Delheid IG 8289, found in 1894); IRSNB Av 114a-c (proximal end of right carpometacarpus, proximal end of right tibiotarsus, right tarsometatarsus; collection Delheid IG 8289, found in 1891).

Remarks: The material in IRSNB includes many further diomedeoidid specimens, most of which are, however, very badly preserved owing to the action of pyrite decay. Listed above are only those specimens that were taken on loan for closer examination by the first author. Note also that part of the material includes more bones than indicated. In such cases these bones are either very poorly preserved or do not belong to the diomedeoidids (IRSNB Av 105 and IRSNB Av 114a-c are associated with bones of Galliformes, and IRSNB Av 113 was previously catalogued together with remains of the parvigruid IRSNB Av 97).

Figures

Figure 1. Selected skeletal elements of Rupelornis definitus in comparison to extant Procellariiformes. A, B, R. definitus, proximal end of right mandible (IRSNB Av 109a) in dorsal (A) and mediodorsal (B) view. C, proximal mandible of Puffinus huttoni (Procellariidae). D, right quadrate of P. huttoni. E, R. definitus, thoracic vertebra (IRSNB Av 109b). F, thoracic vertebra of P. huttoni. G-I, R. definitus, sternum (IRSNB Av 104a) in ventral (G), dorsal (H), and craniodorsal (I) views. J, R. definitus, left coracoid (IRSNB Av 107b) in dorsal view. K–M, R. definitus, left coracoid (IRSNB Av 112a) in dorsal (K), medial (L), and ventral (M) views. N, R. definitus, left scapula (IRSNB Av 102f) in lateral view. Abbreviations: amq, attachment area of musculus adductor mandibulae ossis quadrati; cas, rostrally projecting, concave articular surface of condylus medialis; cic, crista intercotylaris; cmd, cotyla medialis; csc, cotyla scapularis; ctl, cotyla lateralis; cvx, convex dorsal surface of extremitas omalis, between cotyla scapularis and tip of the processus acrocoracoideus; fns, foramen nervi supracoracoidei; for, large foramen in cranial portion of ventral surface of corpus sterni; fos, fossa on corpus of thoracic vertebra; lbi, labrum internum; rdg, ridge between the proximal end of cotyla medialis and tuberculum pseudotemporale; spe, spina externa; tpt, tuberculum pseudotemporale. Fossil bones are coated with ammonium chloride. Scale bars = 10 mm.

Figure 2. Selected skeletal elements of Rupelornis definitus in comparison to extant Procellariiformes. A, R. definitus, proximal end of right humerus (IRSNB Av 109c) in caudal view. B, C, R. definitus, proximal end of left humerus (IRSNB Av 111) in cranial (B) and caudal (C) views. D, E, proximal right humerus of D, Lugensa brevirostris (Procellariidae) and E, Fregetta tropica (Oceanitinae). F, G, R. definitus, distal end of right humerus (IRSNB Av 102a) in caudal (F) and cranial (G) views. H, distal end of right humerus (cranial view) of L. brevirostris. I, R. definitus, proximal end of left ulna (IRSNB Av 109f) in cranial view. J, K, proximal end of left ulna of J, L. brevirostris and K, Pelagodroma marina (Oceanitinae). L, M, R. definitus, distal end of right ulna (IRSNB Av 109g) in ventral (L) and caudal (M) views. N, R. definitus, left carpometacarpus (IRSNB Av 105) in ventral view. O, R. definitus, right carpometacarpus (IRSNB Av 109k) in ventral view. P, R. definitus, right phalanx proximalis digiti majoris (IRSNB Av 104c) in ventral view. Q, right phalanx proximalis digiti majoris of L. brevirostris. Abbreviations: blg, convex bulge formed by craniocaudally sloping ventral margin of distal humerus; cph, caput humeri; dpr, depression on caudal surface of crista deltopectoralis; ext, processus extensorius; fpn, second (dorsal) fossa pneumotricipitalis; fvt, fossa ventralis; ind, processus internus indicis; itd, incisura tendinosa; ldg, ledge on caudal humerus surface; pit, pit abutting ledge on caudal surface of humerus; psd, processus supracondylaris dorsalis; rdg, ridge at beginning of incisura capitis; tbd, tuberculum dorsale. Fossil bones are coated with ammonium chloride. Scale bars = 10 mm.

Figure 3. Selected skeletal elements of Rupelornis definitus in comparison to extant Procellariiformes. A–C, R. definitus, fragmentary pelvis (IRSNB Av 109l) in ventral (A), lateral (B), and dorsal (C) views. D, E, pelvis of D, Diomedea antipodensis (Diomedeidae) and E, Calonectris diomedea (Procellariidae). F–H, R. definitus, left femur (IRSNB Av 112e) in cranial (F), medial (G), and caudal (H) views. I, J, left femur (caudal view) of I, Fregetta tropica (Oceanitinae) and J, D. antipodensis. Abbreviations: cid, crista iliaca dorsalis; css, crista spinosa synsacri; ctr, crista trochanteris; faa, facies articularis antitrochanterica; fit, foramina intertransversaria; fos, fossa distal of facies articularis antitrochanterica; iob, impressiones obturatoriae; lca, linea intermuscularis caudalis; lcr, linea intermuscularis cranialis; tmg, tuberculum musculi gastrocnemialis lateralis. Fossil bones are coated with ammonium chloride. Scale bars = 10 mm.

Figure 4. Selected skeletal elements of Rupelornis definitus in comparison to extant Procellariiformes. A–C, R. definitus, proximal end of right tibiotarsus (IRSNB Av 114b) in craniomedial (A), cranial (B), and caudolateral (C) views. D, proximal tibiotarsus of Fulmarus glacialis (Procellariidae) in lateral view. E, R. definitus, proximal end of right tibiotarsus (IRSNB Av 112d) in lateral view. F, G, R. definitus, distal end of left tibiotarsus (IRSNB Av 103c) in cranial (F) and medial (G) views. H, distal tibiotarsus (medial view) of F. glacialis. I, R. definitus, proximal end of right tarsometatarsus (IRSNB Av 114c) in plantar view. J-L, R. definitus, proximal end of right tarsometatarsus (IRSNB Av 113) in dorsal (J), plantar (K), and proximal (L) views. M, proximal end of right tarsometatarsus of Fregetta tropica (Oceanitinae) in proximal view. N, O, R. definitus, first phalanx of left second toe (IRSNB Av 104e) in dorsal (N) and plantar (O) views. P, R. definitus, first phalanx of left third toe (IRSNB Av 104g) in dorsal view. Q, R, R. definitus, first phalanx of right fourth toe (IRSNB Av 112f) in plantar (Q) and dorsal (R) views. Abbreviations: ccc, crista cnemialis cranialis; ccl, crista cnemialis lateralis; clh, crista lateralis hypotarsi; cmh, crista medialis hypotarsi; fdl, canal for tendon of musculus flexor digitorum longus; fhl, canal for tendon of musculus flexor hallucis longus; lat, lateral hypotarsal canals of Oceanitinae; ntc, notch in distal rim of condylus medialis; sul, tendinal sulcus. Fossil bones are coated with ammonium chloride. Scale bars = 10 mm, except for M = 5 mm.

Figure 5. Size range of tarsometatarsus (plantar view) of A, B, Rupelornis definitus (A, IRSNB Av 108d; B, IRSNB Av 114c) and C, D, Fulmarus glacialis (Procellariidae). Fossil bones are coated with ammonium chloride. Scale bars = 10 mm.

Figure 6. Bones described by van Beneden (1871) in comparison to Rupelornis definitus specimens from the collection of IRSNB. A, ‘Vanellus selysii’ holotype (distal humerus, from van Beneden, 1871: fig. 2, reversed to facilitate comparison) in comparison to B, IRSNB Av 102a. C, incomplete humerus referred to ‘Anas creccoides’ (= Anas benedeni Sharpe, 1899) (from van Beneden, 1871: fig. 4) in comparison to D, IRSNB Av 111 (reversed to facilitate comparison). E, Rupelornis definitus holotype (distal tibiotarsus, from van Beneden, 1871: fig. 7) in comparison to F, IRSNBAv 103c. Scale bars = 10 mm and refer only to IRSNB fossils; bones from van Beneden (1871) are not to scale.