Dasornis - a Giant fossil bird
Thursday, 2. October 2008, 00:00:14
Being that I have a bsc in Palaeobiology + Evolution and an MSc in Micropalaeontology there has been a notable lack of anything relating to these on my blog. And today when I found a story on my 'beloved' London Clay, on which my undergraduate project was on, I thought it was time I rectified this.
The bird in question's fossil skull was found on the Isle of Sheppey, North Kent and was a relative of ducks and geese, which lived in the Eocene. Based on the fact it was found in the London Clay, around 50 million years ago that would make it Early Eocene (Ypresian) in age.
(picture of skull from here Credit: Fred Clouter)
The bird in question's fossil skull was found on the Isle of Sheppey, North Kent and was a relative of ducks and geese, which lived in the Eocene. Based on the fact it was found in the London Clay, around 50 million years ago that would make it Early Eocene (Ypresian) in age.
(picture of skull from here Credit: Fred Clouter)This species (well technically genus) has been named Dasornis. It is remarkable for a number of reasons: the first is its sheer size, an estimated 5m from wing tip to wing tip, which would probably make it the largest flying bird of its time and a full 1m larger than the bird with the biggest wingspan today, the wandering albatross. The other interesting feature is one it has in common with other pelagornithids or 'bony toothed birds,' a set of 'psuedo-teeth' along its bill, which it used presumably for catching slippery prey like fish and squid
(Picture credit Ludger Bollen, from "Der Flug des Archaeopteryx", Quelle+Meyer Vlg.)The paper: Mayr, G., 2008, A skull of the giant bony-toothed bird Dasornis (Aves: Pelagornithidae) from the Lower Eocene of the Isle of Sheppey”, Palaeontology, Vol. 51, Part 5, 2008, pp. 1107–1116
(100%)
WIDGETIZE
Adele # 2. October 2008, 17:53
Thanks for the info. By the way, have you graduated now?
Neil # 2. October 2008, 20:14
I managed to pass my degree - just got to find one of those job thingys now lol
Adele # 2. October 2008, 20:57
Job thingies...hm...yeah, it's not easy but I'll sure you'll find something
Anonymous # 13. October 2008, 13:11
"Based on the fact I was found in the London Clay, around 50 million years ago..."
:yikes: Do you still have all your own teeth? :D