Titanis
| Titanis Fossil range: Pliocene |
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| Titanis walleri Brodkorb, 1963 |
Titanis (Etymology: Titanis after the titans, Ancient Greek gods that preceded the Twelve Olympians, in allusion to the bird's "titanic" (properly: "gigantic") size) is a genus of very large predatory flightless bird. The only member species of the genus Titanis is T. walleri, named in honor of the holotype's collector, Benjamin I. Waller. It lived approximately 5-1.8 million years ago (Pliocene) in North America, fossil evidence having been found in Florida and Texas. From circumstantial evidence, it has been suggested that the species did not become extinct until 15,000 years ago,[1] but more precise dating by McFadden and colleagues refutes such a late date, finding that Titanis became extinct at least 1.8 million years ago.[2][3] Titanis was part of the group of giant flightless birds called the Phorusrhacidae, which are nicknamed "terror birds", and represents the youngest species of the lineage.
Description
It was between 1.4 and 2.5 m tall and weighed approximately 150 kg[citation needed], but with large variance (perhaps indicating strong sexual dimorphism).[4] Though its head is not known, it certainly would have been large, with a huge, axe-like beak, as in its relatives. The wings were small and could not have been used for flight, but instead had a pair of claws which could grab and hold prey. Overall, it was very similar to the South American Phorusrhacos and Devincenzia, its closest relatives. Little is known of its remains, but it seems to have been less wide-footed than Devincenzia, with a proportionally much stronger middle toe.[5] (Onactornis is now considered a junior synonym of Devincenzia).
In popular culture
The Flock (ISBN 1-59414-377-3), a novel by James Robert Smith published in August 2006, features a surviving group of Titanis walleri in central Florida.
References
- ^ Baskin, J. A. (1995). "The giant flightless bird Titanis walleri (Aves: Phorusrhacidae) from the Pleistocene coastal plain of South Texas." Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 15(4): 842-844.
- ^ McFadden, B., Labs-Hochstein, J., Hulbert, R.C. Jr., and Baskin, J.A. (2006). "Refined age of the late Neogene terror bird (Titanis) from Florida and Texas using rare earth elements." Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 26(3): 92A (Supplement). PDF abstract
- ^ * McFadden, B., Labs-Hochstein, J., Hulbert, R.C. Jr., and Baskin, J.A. (2007). "Revised age of the late Neogene terror bird (Titanis) in North America during the Great American Interchange." Geology, 35(2): 123-126. doi:10.1130/G23186A.1 PDF fulltext
- ^ Alvarenga, H.M.F., and Höfling, E. (2003). "Systematic revision of the Phorusrhacidae (Aves: Ralliformes)." Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 43(4): 55-91 PDF fulltext
- ^ Brodkorb, P. (1963). "A giant flightless bird from the Pleistocene of Florida." Auk, 80(2): 111-115. PDF fulltext
External links
- dinosoria.com: Titanis walleri reconstructions. Retrieved 2007-FEB-09.
- Fox News: Huge, Terrifying Carnivorous Bird Invaded North America Long Ago
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