TWO NEW PARROTS (PSITTACIFORMES) FROM THE LOWER EOCENE FUR FORMATION OF DENMARK

  1. DAVID M. WATERHOUSE1,2,
  2. BENT E. K. LINDOW1,3,
  3. NIKITA V. ZELENKOV4,
  4. GARETH J. DYKE1

Article first published online: 15 MAY 2008

DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2008.00777.x

Issue

Palaeontology

Palaeontology

Volume 51, Issue 3, pages 575–582, May 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

WATERHOUSE, D. M., LINDOW, B. E. K., ZELENKOV, N. V. and DYKE, G. J. (2008), TWO NEW PARROTS (PSITTACIFORMES) FROM THE LOWER EOCENE FUR FORMATION OF DENMARK. Palaeontology, 51: 575–582. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2008.00777.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland; e-mail: gareth.dyke@ucd.ie

  2. 2

    Department of Natural History, Norfolk Museums Service, Shirehall, Market Avenue, Norwich NR1 3JQ, UK; e-mail: david.waterhouse@norfolk.gov.uk

  3. 3

    Geological Museum, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5–7, 1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark

  4. 4

    Paleontological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Profsoyuznaya st., 123, 117997 Moscow GSP-7, Russia

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 15 MAY 2008
  2. Article first published online: 15 MAY 2008
  3. Typescript received 14 December 2006; accepted in revised form 18 April 2007

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Keywords:

  • Aves;
  • Psittaciformes;
  • Pseudasturidae;
  • parrots;
  • Palaeogene;
  • Eocene;
  • Denmark

Abstract:  Two new fossil psittaciform birds from the Lower Eocene ‘Mo Clay’ (Fur Formation) of Denmark (c. 54 Ma) are described. An unnamed specimen is assigned to the extinct avian family of stem-group parrots, Pseudasturidae (genus and species incertae sedis), while a second (Mopsitta tanta gen. et sp. nov.) is the largest fossil parrot yet known. Both specimens are the first fossil records of these birds from Denmark. Although the phylogenetic position of Mopsitta is unclear (it is classified as family incertae sedis), this form is phylogenetically closer to Recent Pstittacidae than to other known Palaeogene psittaciforms and may, therefore, represent the oldest known crown-group parrot.

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