A revision of skull morphology in Phorusrhacidae (Aves, Cariamiformes)

Abstract

Phorusrhacidae, popularly known as ‘terror birds’, are the most speciose clade within the avian order Cariamiformes, with a fossil record that ranges from the Eocene to the Pleistocene. Although several species have preserved skulls, our understanding of their cranial morphology remains incomplete. Here, a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge of phorusrhacid skull anatomy is presented. The phorusrhacid skull bauplan includes salient features such as deep, triangular fossae temporales, a complex basipterygoid articulation and the loss of bending zones related to kinesis. Two skull morphotypes can be discriminated: the psilopterine and the ‘terror bird’ type. The ‘terror bird’ skull type is here considered an evolutionary specialization, indicating that among phorusrhacids, medium-size to large phorusrhacids show more rigid and stiffer skulls. Nevertheless, studies have shown that the two morphotypes may have handled prey in a similar manner, suggesting that a trophic specialization with a unique hunting technique was the key driver of the evolution of the phorusrhacid skull.