![]() Following this, several authors began to recognize a greater degree of similarity between the European and North American birds, often placing both in the same order (Gastornithiformes) or even family (Gastornithidae). Meaningful comparisons between Gastornis and Diatryma were made more difficult by Lemoine's incorrect skeletal illustration, the composite nature of which was not discovered until the early 1980s. In fact, this similarity was recognized as early as 1884 by Elliott Coues, but this was debated by researchers throughout the 20th century. However, after the initial discovery of Diatryma, it soon became clear that it and Gastornis were so similar that the former could be considered a junior synonym of the latter. gigantea) with outdated, ratite-like plumage, 1917Īfter the description of Diatryma, most new European specimens were referred to this genus instead of Gastornis. Matthew, Granger, and Stein (1917) classified this nearly complete specimen as yet another new species, Diatryma steini. In 1916, an American Museum of Natural History expedition to the Bighorn Basin ( Willwood Formation) of Wyoming found the first nearly complete skull and skeleton, which was described in 1917 and gave scientists their first clear picture of the bird. Additional fragmentary specimens were found in Wyoming in 1911 and assigned in 1913 to the new species Diatryma ajax (also now considered a synonym of G. A single gastornithid toe bone from New Jersey was described by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1894 and classified as the new genus and species Barornis regens, but in 1911 it was recognized that this, too, could be considered a junior synonym of Diatryma (and therefore later Gastornis). ə ˈ t r aɪ m ə/ DY-ə- TRY-mə), from Ancient Greek διάτρημα, diatrema, meaning “through a hole”, referring to the large foramina (perforations) that penetrate some of the foot bones. He considered them to belong to a distinct genus and species of giant ground bird, which, in 1876, he named Diatryma gigantea ( / ˌ d aɪ. In 1874, the American paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope discovered another fragmentary set of fossils in the Wasatch Formation of New Mexico. Thus, the European bird was long reconstructed as a sort of gigantic crane-like bird. ![]() The skulls of these original Gastornis fossils were unknown except for nondescript fragments, and several bones used in Lemoine's illustration turned out to be those of other animals. ![]() The specimens found in the 1870s formed the basis for a widely circulated and reproduced skeletal restoration by Lemoine. eduardsii (now considered a synonym of G. Somewhat more complete specimens, this time referred to the new species G. parisiensis, were found in the mid 1860s. ![]() Additional bones of the first known species, G. The discovery was notable due to the large size of the specimens, and because, at the time, Gastornis represented one of the oldest known birds. #Ninox review full#It was named after Gaston Planté, described as a "studious young man full of zeal", who had discovered the first fossils in Argile Plastique formation deposits at Meudon near Paris. Gastornis was first described in 1855 from a fragmentary skeleton. Lemoine's incorrect 1881 illustration of G. eduardsii (now G. parisiensis) Gastornis is generally agreed to be related to Galloanserae, the group containing waterfowl and gamebirds. However, several lines of evidence, including the lack of hooked claws in known Gastornis footprints and studies of their beak structure and isotopic signatures of their bones have caused scientists to reinterpret these birds as herbivores that probably fed on tough plant material and seeds. Gastornis species were very large birds, and have traditionally been considered to be predators of small mammals. Fossils have been found in Europe, Asia and North America, with the remains from North America originally assigned to the genus Diatryma. ![]() Gastornis is an extinct genus of large flightless birds that lived during the mid Paleocene to mid Eocene epochs of the Paleogene period. laurenti Mourer-Chauviré & Bourdon, 2020 ![]()
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