Paleogene Fossil Birds

• Main Author: Mayr, Gerald (Author)
• Corporate Author: SpringerLink (Online service)
• Format: Electronic eBook
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin, Heidelberg : Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2009.
• Subjects: Life sciences.; Paleontology.; Evolutionary biology.; Zoology.; Vertebrates.; Life Sciences.; Evolutionary Biology.; Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography.

The present book is the first detailed review of the Paleogene avian fossil record on a worldwide scale. Numerous well-preserved fossil bird remains from this geological period, which covers the time span from the end of the Mesozoic era to the beginning of the Miocene, have been described in the pa...

Table of Contents:

• Stratigraphy and major fossil localities
• Higher-level phylogeny of extant birds
• Mesozoic Neornithes
• Palaeognathous birds
• Galloanseres
• Aquatic and semiaquatic taxa
• Charadriiformes (shorebirds and allies)
• “Core-Gruiformes” (Rails, Cranes, and Allies)
• Phoenicopteriformes (flamingos) and Podicipediformes (grebes)
• Columbiformes (doves and sandgrouse), Cuculiformes (cuckoos), and other neoavian taxa of uncertain affinities
• “Caprimulgiformes” and Apodiformes (Nightjars and Allies, Swifts, and Hummingbirds)
• Cariamae (seriemas and allies)
• “Falconiformes” (Diurnal Birds of Prey)
• Strigiformes (owls)
• Arboreal birds
• Paleogene avifaunas – synopsis of general aspects.