Eonessa
| Eonessa | |
|---|---|
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| Species: | E. anaticula
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| Binomial name | |
| Eonessa anaticula Wetmore, 1938
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Eonessa is an enigmatic genus of
It was first described by Alexander Wetmore in the Journal of Paleontology in May 1938. In his paper, Wetmore erected the Anatidae subfamily Eonessinae, and placed Eonessa as the oldest Anatidae genus in the fossil record. This placement was possibly due to a resemblance to the modern ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis),[2] although Wetmore did not explain his taxonomic placement in the describing paper.[1]
Restudy of the
Middle Eocene, around 46-42 million years ago.[3]
Now in the
metacarpals down to the partial humerus. Though found articulated, the bones were badly crushed during fossilization.[1][2] The bones, after further matrix removal in the 1970s, are very slender and with little diagnostic detail and little to no similarity to modern Anatidae members. The general proportions are closer to Gruiformes birds that have been found in the same rock formations; however, the lack of detail does not allow firm placement into the order.[1]
References
- ^ doi:10.5479/si.00810282.323. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2012-02-27. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
- ^ JSTOR 1298593.
- ^ a b The Paleobiology Database Eonessa anaticula page