Procariama Rovereto, 1914

Alvarenga, Herculano M. F. & Höfling, Elizabeth, 2003, Systematic Revision Of The Phorusrhacidae (Aves: Ralliformes), Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 43 (4), pp. 55-91 : 83

Genus Procariama Rovereto, 1914

Type Species – Procariama simplex Rovereto, 1914 .

Included Species – Only the type species.

Distribution – Upper Miocene to Lower Pliocene of Argentina. (Catamarca Province).

Diagnos i s Revised – It is very similar to Psilopterus , being distiguished from this by the larger size and sturdier build ( Fig. 1G ), and by a slight difference in the proportion of the bones of the hind-limbs, where the femur is proportionally shorter (Patterson & Kraglievich, 1960:16). The wing bones of Procariama are also proportionally smaller ( Fig. 3 ). In the tarsometatarsus, the hipotarsus forms two expansions (one lateral the other medial) in the most proximal part, this thus looking like two crests ( Fig. 29A ), different from both Psilopterus and Paleopsilopterus .

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 3. Comparative diagram of the length of the bones of the appendicular skeleton of Ameghinornis minor, Aenigmavis sapea and Cariama cristata, in a comparison with some Phorusrhacidae. Numbers represent approximate measurements in mm.

FIGURE 29. Proximal end of the right tarsometatarsus, plantar view, showing the variation of the hipotarsus in the three genera of the Psilopterinae: A - Procariama simplex; B - Psilopterus lemoinei and C - Paleopsilopterus itaboraiensis.