New anhingid (Aves, Suliformes) from the middle Miocene of Río Negro province, Patagonia, Argentina

Abstract

During the Miocene in South America, the family Anhingidae constitutes one of the most conspicuous faunal elements. However, the anhingid record from Patagonia is still sparse. The aim of the present contribution is to describe a new species of Macranhinga coming from Colloncuran levels (early middle Miocene) in Río Negro province, north-central Patagonia (Argentina). The new species is represented by an incomplete proximal end of a tarsometatarsus, distal end of a tibiotarsus, and distal end of a humerus. The phylogenetic relationships of the new species within Macranhinga remains unresolved. South American Neogene anhingids share a number of features that suggest they may belong to a monophyletic clade within this family. Anhingid records from the Miocene of Patagonia indicate that the diversity of this family was far more diverse (at least 4 different species) than currently understood, and was possible comparable to that shown by Miocene beds of Mesopotamian in Argentina and Acre in Brazil. http://www.zoobang.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3FC228E8-4E2C-4DFD-AB91-79F32269CA98.