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 | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Sphenisciformes |
| Family: | Spheniscidae |
| Genus: | †Paraptenodytes |
| Species: | †P. robustus
|
| Binomial name | |
| †Paraptenodytes robustus Ameghino 1894
| |
| Synonyms | |
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
edit- ^ Paraptenodytes robustus at Fossilworks.org
Further reading
edit- 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
 | This prehistoric bird article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |