A New Species of Large Duck (Aves: Anatidae) from the Miocene of New Zealand

Abstract

We describe a new species of extinct duck, Miotadorna catrionae sp. nov. (Anatidae, Tadornini, Tadorninae), based on a right humerus from the Miocene lacustrine deposits of St Bathans, Otago, New Zealand. Principal component analysis reveals that the new taxon is distinguished by its large size and relative proportions. This is the eighth and largest species of duck described from the St Bathans fossil assemblage and further underscores the global importance of this site for understanding anatid evolution.

Keywords

• Tadornini
• <i>Miotadorna catrionae</i> sp. nov.
• fossil
• shelduck
• lacustrine
• Bannockburn Formation