Archaehierax Mather, Lee, Camens and Worthy

Mather, Ellen K., Lee, Michael S. Y., Camens, Aaron B. & Worthy, Trevor H., 2021, An exceptional partial skeleton of a new basal raptor (Aves: Accipitridae) from the late Oligocene Namba formation, South Australia, Historical Biology 34 (7), pp. 1175-1207 : 6-7

Genus Archaehierax Mather, Lee, Camens and Worthy gen. nov.

Type species: Archaehierax sylvestris sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 8C4B01F2-12CE-46F4-A444-C63B18C90BAE

Etymology

Archaehierax is derived from the Greek words ‘archaios’, meaning ancient, and ‘hierax’, meaning hawk. Gender masculine.

Diagnosis

An accipitrid distinguished by the combination of the following features; Rostrum. (1) The nares are large and fully open, (2) processus maxillopalatini not fused; Quadrate. (3) the condylus pterygoideus projects less medially than the condylus medialis, (4) a deep, distinct fossa caudomedialis with a small amount of pneumatism; Sternum. (5) The apex carinae is displaced caudally from the base of the spina externa, (6) the medial crista on the carina does not extend to the spina externa; (7) The pila medialis on the dorsal face separates two deep fossae (autapomorphy); Humerus. (8) The caput humeri is only slightly elevated proximally past the tuberculum ventralis (autapomorphy); Os carpale ulnare. (9) Deepened depression on ulnaris face; Tarsometatarsus. (10) The trochleae metatarsorum are splayed and separated by wide incisurae, especially laterally, with the individual trochleae themselves quite narrow in width (autapomorphy); (11) The incisura for the m. flexor hallucis brevis tendon is large, distinct, and extends distal to the fossa metatarsi I (autapomorphy); Phalanx IV.4. (12) The distal articular end that articulates with phalanx IV.5, is considerably wider than the shaft.

Type Locality/Stratigraphy/Age

31° 07.499 ʹ S; 140° 12.755 ʹ E. Site 12a, Lake Pinpa, Frome Downs Station , Callabonna Sub-Basin , S.A. Dolomite bed of Namba Formation , Pinpa LF, late Oligocene, 26–24 Ma.