Paraptenodytes robustus

Paraptenodytes robustus is a species of the extinct penguin genus Paraptenodytes, which is known from fossils. It was medium-sized, an estimated 70 to 80 centimetres (28 to 31 in) long in life (similar to a Magellanic penguin).

Paraptenodytes robustus
Temporal range: Early Miocene (Colhuehuapian-Santacrucian)
~20.43–15.97 Ma
↓
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Sphenisciformes
Family: Spheniscidae
Genus: †Paraptenodytes
Species:
†P. robustus
Binomial name
†Paraptenodytes robustus
Synonyms
  • Palaeospheniscus robustus
    Ameghino, 1895
  • Paraptenodytes curtus
    Ameghino, 1901
  • Paraptenodytes grandis
    Ameghino, 1901
  • Arthrodytes grandis
    Ameghino, 1905
  • Metancylornis curtus
    Ameghino, 1905
  • Treleudytes crassa
    Ameghino, 1905
  • Treleudytes crassus
    Simpson, 1946
  • Perispheniscus robustus
    Brodkorb, 1963

The fossils of this species are known from several dozen bones, found in Early Miocene rocks of the Gaimán Formation.[1] Documented locations are near La Cueva, Trelew in Chubut Province, and Puerto San Julián in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. Most remains are only tentatively assigned to this species, however, and the tarsometatarsus formerly referred to as Treleudytes crassus may belong to a completely different species. On the other hand, Paraptenodytes brodkorbi is probably synonymous with P. robustus.

References
  1. Paraptenodytes robustus at Fossilworks.org

Further reading
  • Ameghino, Florentino (1895): Sur les oiseaux fossiles de Patagonie. Bol. Inst. Geogr. Argentina 15 501–602. [Article in French]
  • Simpson, George Gaylord (1946): Fossil penguins. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 87: 7-99. PDF fulltext
  • Simpson, George Gaylord (1971): Conspectus of Patagonian fossil penguins. American Museum Novitates 2488: 1-37. PDF fulltext


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