Grouse (Aves: Phasianidae: Tetraonini) from the Early Pleistocene of Crimea, and the Status of Lagopus atavus
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: From the Early Pleistocene of the Taurida Cave (Crimea), the remains of Lyrurus partium Kretzoi, 1962 and “Lagopus” atavus Jánossy, 1974 (tribe Tetraonini of the family Phasianidae; order Galliformes) are described – these are the oldest finds of the grouse group in Eurasia outside the region of Central and Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Hungary and Poland). The discovery of the primitive Black Grouse L. partium indicates that in the Early Pleistocene these birds were part of the savanna-like faunal associations of the Northern Black Sea region along with Otididae and Struthionidae. The origin and evolutionary history of the modern Caucasian Black Grouse T. mlokosiewiczi Taczanowski, 1875 is discussed. The complete tarsometatarsus of “Lagopus” atavus from the Taurida Cave indicates a separate generic status of this poorly studied Plio-Pleistocene form, which in this work is allocated to the genus Paralyra gen. nov. Thus, the presence of ptarmigans (genus Lagopus) in the pre-glacial Plio-Pleistocene faunas of Eastern Europe is not confirmed.
Source: Палеонтологический журнал
Author: N. V. Zelenkov
Institution: Institute of Paleontology A A Borisyak
Language: English
Subfield: Paleontology
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4404149138