Parrots in a nutshell: The fossil record of Psittaciformes (Aves)
Titel:
Parrots in a nutshell: The fossil record of Psittaciformes (Aves)
Auteur:
Waterhouse, David M.
Verschenen in:
Historical biology
Paginering:
Jaargang 18 (2006) nr. 2 pagina's 223-234
Jaar:
2006
Inhoud:
Parrots (traditional order Psittaciformes) are one of the most instantly recognizable groups of modern birds. Their relatively large heads, squat necks and broad, curved bills help to make parrots so easily identifiable. However, the few early fossil parrots that have been discovered to date (Lower Eocene), do not necessarily possess this “parrot-like” cranial morphology. Even more surprisingly, early psittaciforms have mainly been found in the northern hemisphere (Walton-on-the-Naze, England; Messel, Germany, etc.), with only a few, relatively recent, essentially modern parrot remains being found within their present range (mainly in tropical and sub-tropical Australasia and South America). Fossil parrots remain rare and those that have been identified are often the subject of much debate. This paper is an attempt to accumulate and re-evaluate the current information available on parrot fossils—an intriguing group of birds with a complicated and elusive past.
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