Fossil and subfossil birds of Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The study of fossil and subfossil birds in Brazil is still in its early stages despite its relatively abundant material. The remains are represented by bones, feathers, mummified specimens, eggs, coprolites, pellets, and tracks found in all Regions of the country starting in the 1830s. They are known from the Early Cretaceous to the latest Holocene, albeit several temporal gaps exist, and the most expressive diversity and quantity are concentrated in a few but important sites. Our survey and review of the literature and some previously unpublished specimens resulted in a list of 670 records demonstrating that the country’s known past avifaunas are essentially modern and rely mostly on provisional determination methods. Despite this, 15 extinct genera and 20 extinct species were newly described, demonstrating this field’s potential. The proper study of numerous long-stored materials from both paleontological and archeological contexts and eventual new remains can contribute significantly to our understanding of avian evolution and their taxonomic diversity throughout time, besides furnishing paleobiogeographic and paleoenvironmental information.

Keywords

• archeology
• history of science
• ornithology
• paleontology
• South America