ABSTRACT

The Paleogene record of pelicans (Pelecanidae) is represented at present by a single early Oligocene specimen from southeastern France. Here we describe a new pelecanid from the early Priabonian portion of the Birket Qarun Formation within the Wadi Al-Hitan World Heritage Site in Egypt. This specimen, a nearly complete right tibiotarsus, is the first definitive pelecanid recovered from Eocene strata. The tibiotarsus is remarkably similar to those of known Pelecanus species, but sufficiently different to warrant designation as the new genus and species Eopelecanus aegyptiacus. This represents the oldest pelican described to date and extends the pelecanid fossil record by ca. 6 million years.

摘要

鹈鹕（鹈鹕科）的古近纪记录目前由来自法国东南部的一个早期渐新世标本代表。在这里，我们描述了一种来自埃及 Wadi Al-Hitan 世界遗产地内 Birket Qarun 组的早期普里亚博尼阶部分的新鹈鹕。该标本是近乎完整的右胫跗骨，是从始新世地层中发现的第一个确定的鹈鹕科动物。胫跗骨与已知的Pelecanus物种非常相似，但足够不同，足以保证将其命名为新属和物种Eopelecanus aegyptiacus。这代表了迄今为止描述的最古老的鹈鹕，并将鹈鹕化石记录扩展到了大约 10 年。600万年。