| Garganornis Temporal range: Late Miocene | |
|---|---|
| |
| Reconstruction of Garganornis by Stefano Maugeri | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukarya |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Family: | Anatidae |
| Genus: | †Garganornis Meijer, 2014 |
| Species: | †G. ballmanni |
| Type species | |
| †Garganornis ballmanni Meijer, 2014 | |
Garganornis is an extinct genus of large flightless waterfowl from the Late Miocene of Gargano, Italy. Its immense size, which is thought to be a byproduct of insular gigantism and threats from large predators, makes it the largest anatid ever.
Discovery[]
Garganornis was described by Meijer in 2014 from the holotype, which consists of a partial left tibiotarsus (RGM 443307). The generic name, "Garganornis" is a combination of Gargano, the region in which the holotype was found, and "ornis" which means "bird" in Greek, while the specific name honors Peter Ballmann, who first described the birds in Gargano.
Known material of Garganornis
In 2016, more material was described by Pavia et al. (DSTF-GA 49, NMA 504/1801, DSTF-GA 77, RGM 425554, RGM 425943, MGPT-PU 135356, RGM 261535, and RGM 261945).
Description[]
Based off of comparisons with its living relative the mute swan, it is estimated that Garganornis could reach a weight of 15 to 22 kilograms (33 to 50 lbs), making it the largest species in its family. Such size likely meant that Garganornis was incapable of flight, and it is thought to have grew so large due to a phenomenon called insular gigantism, in which animals separated from the mainland tend to grow larger due to being isolated. Other inhabitants of Gargano have also experienced insular gigantism in their evolution, as the region was separated from mainland Italy due to higher sea levels.
Classification[]
Analysis of fossilized bones found in the uncovered Garganornis specimens conclude its placement in the avian phylogenetic tree as a member of the Anseriformes order, specifically within the family Anatidae, which includes geese, ducks, and swans. It is thought that the ancestors of Garganornis separated from other anatids due to the rising sea levels surrounding the Gargano region during the Late Miocene.
Paleoecology[]
The unique isolation of the Gargano region from the rest of Europe meant that Garganornis coexisted with a myriad of other strange creatures, many of which experienced insular gigantism, causing them to be substantially larger than their mainland relatives. Predators of Gargano Island included the large owls Tyto robusta and its relative Tyto gigantea, the giant eagles Garganoaetus freudenthali and Garganoaetus murivorus, the giant hairy hedgehogs within the genus Deinogalerix, and an unnamed species within the genus Crocodylus. There were also the similarly-sized deer-like Hoplitomeryx.
Gallery[]
Size of Garganornis. Image by Sanciusart