This article needs additional citations for
verification. (September 2014) |
"Precursor" Temporal range:
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | |
Phylum: | |
Class: | |
Subclass: | |
Superorder: | |
Order: | see text
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Genus: | "Precursor" Harrison & Walker, 1977
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Species | |
but see text |
"Precursor" is a controversial prehistoric bird genus from the Early Eocene. [1] [2] It was established based on fossils found in England, including in the famous London Clay deposits. Three species are included in the genus: "P." parvus, the type species, "P." magnus, and "P." litorum, all named by Colin Harrison and Cyril Walker in 1977. [1] [3]
These remains were originally considered to be members of the Charadriiformes, more specifically the earliest representatives of the Glareolidae ( pratincoles and coursers). [1] However, several authors have since found this interpretation to be dubious, [2] [4] with the lack of measurements and contradictory wording making the original description's conclusions difficult to verify. [5] At least some of the material, namely the paratype humerus of "P." parvus, has been re-interpreted as belonging to the Pseudasturidae (or Halcyornithidae), a group of stem- parrots, the remains of which (including a complete skeleton) were found in the Green River Formation in the United States. [6] [7]
This article needs additional citations for
verification. (September 2014) |
"Precursor" Temporal range:
| |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | |
Phylum: | |
Class: | |
Subclass: | |
Superorder: | |
Order: | see text
|
Genus: | "Precursor" Harrison & Walker, 1977
|
Species | |
but see text |
"Precursor" is a controversial prehistoric bird genus from the Early Eocene. [1] [2] It was established based on fossils found in England, including in the famous London Clay deposits. Three species are included in the genus: "P." parvus, the type species, "P." magnus, and "P." litorum, all named by Colin Harrison and Cyril Walker in 1977. [1] [3]
These remains were originally considered to be members of the Charadriiformes, more specifically the earliest representatives of the Glareolidae ( pratincoles and coursers). [1] However, several authors have since found this interpretation to be dubious, [2] [4] with the lack of measurements and contradictory wording making the original description's conclusions difficult to verify. [5] At least some of the material, namely the paratype humerus of "P." parvus, has been re-interpreted as belonging to the Pseudasturidae (or Halcyornithidae), a group of stem- parrots, the remains of which (including a complete skeleton) were found in the Green River Formation in the United States. [6] [7]