South American and Antarctic Continental Cenozoic Birds Paleobiogeographic Affinities and Disparities /

• Main Authors: Tambussi, Claudia P. (Author), Degrange, Federico (Author)
• Corporate Author: SpringerLink (Online service)
• Format: Electronic eBook
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands : Imprint: Springer, 2013.
• Series: SpringerBriefs in Earth System Sciences,
• Subjects: Earth sciences.; Paleontology.; Evolutionary biology.; Earth Sciences.; Plant Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography.; Evolutionary Biology.

Modern birds (Neornithes) are represented by two big lineages, the Palaeognathae (Tinamiformes + Ratitae) and the Neognathae [Galloanserae + Neoaves (Metaves + Coronoaves)]. Both clades sum approximately 10,000 species of which 60% are Passeriformes (the most diverse clade of terrestrial vertebrates...

Table of Contents:

• Introduction
• Paleogeograpic background
• Geological settings of the major fossil localities in South America and Antarctica
• The nature of the bird fossil record
• The Paleogene birds of South America
• Eocene birds from Antarctica and their relationships with those of South America
• The Neogene birds of South America
• The dominance of zoophagous birds
• Bioconections of South America and other continents: What is and what is not possible to conclude.