Mesembriornis incertus (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 : 87-88

Mesembriornis incertus (Rovereto, 1914)

comb. n.

Prophororhacos incertus Rovereto, 1914 ; Brodkorb, 1967.

Type – A dorsal vertebra; a fragment of the omal portion of the left coracoid; each the right, humerus, ulna and part of the radius; distal part of the right tarsometatarsus and phalanges 1 of digits III and IV and phalanx 3 of digit II (MACN-6934) .

Hypodigm – Type; the fragment of a cervical vertebra (MACN-6931); a tibiotarsus associated to the fibula, tarsometatarsus ( Fig. 33F and 33G ) and complete dig- its I and II, all from the right side ( FM-P14422 ); a left tarsometatarsus, with the proximal portion missing, and phalanges 1 and 2 of digit II (MACN-6737) .

Horizon and Locality – The Upper Miocene to the Lower Pliocene, of Argentina (Huayquerian): Catamarca Province (Andalgala, Corral Quemado).

Diagnosis – Much smaller than M. milneedwardsi .

Measurements – Table 9.

Illustrations – Rovereto (1914).

Remarks – As commented by Patterson & Kraglievivh (1960:20), the “second specimen of Procariama ” described by Rovereto (1914) is part of the same specimen that this author described as Phororhacos incertus , thus being added to the originally described type material (distal tarsometatarsus associated to the phalanges). The possibility of confusing material between these two species of similar sizes and the same geological age serves as a warning.

Figures

FIGURE 33. Bones of the hind limbs, of the Mesembriornithinae (A-G) and Psilopterinae (H-N). Mesembriornis milneedwardsi (MACN-5944; from Rovereto, 1914): A - right femur, dorsal view, B - left tibiotarsus, ventral view, and C - left tarsometatarsus, dorsal view. Mesembriornis milneedwardsi (MMP-S155): D - left femur, dorsal view, E - right tibiotarsus, ventral view. Mesembriornis incertus (FM-P14422): F - right tibiotarsus, ventral view, and G - right tarsometatarsus, dorsal view. Procariama simplex (FM-P14525): H - right femur, dorsal view, I - tibiotarsus, ventral view, and J - right tarsometatarsus, dorsal view. Psilopterus lemoinei (AMNH-9157 and 9257 from Sinclair & Farr, 1910): L - right femur, dorsal view, M - right tarsometatarsus, ventral view, and N - right tarsometatarsus, dorsal view.