Strigogyps sapea

Taxobox
name = "Strigogyps sapea"
fossil_range = Middle Eocene


image_caption = "Ailuravus macrurus" and "Strigogyps sapea"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Gruiformes
familia = Ameghinornithidae
genus = "Strigogyps"
species = "S. sapea"
binomial = "Strigogyps sapea"
binomial_authority = (D. S. Peters, 1987)
synonyms = "Aenigmavis sapea" D. S. Peters, 1987

"Strigogyps sapea" ("Thinking Owl Vulture") is a species of prehistoric bird. It initially was described as the single species of the genus "Aenigmavis" ("enigmatic bird"). This bird is known from fossil remains found in the Middle Eocene deposits of the Messel shale. It probably was around the size of a large chicken or a guan, weighing not quite 1 kilogram. Apparently, as indicated by the ratio of lengths of wing to leg bones, "S. sapea" was flightless. Its legs were not adapted to running, so it seems to have had a walking lifestyle similar to trumpeters, but probably was more carnivorous, feeding on small reptiles, possibly mammals or fish caught in shallow water, or carrion.

"Strigogyps sapea" was previously - as "Aenigmavis" - believed to be a primitive European phorusrhacid (terror bird), but more recent study has found this to be poorly supported (Alvarenga & Höfling 2003, Mayr 2005). The genus "Strigogyps" was initially placed in the owl order Strigiformes and considered to be a sophiornithid. The present species has been suggested to be closer to "Salmila robusta", a gruiform from the Messel Pit (Mayr 2005). Consequently, Peters (2007) supports separation in the Ameghinornithidae. He also considers "Strigogyps" to contain the species "S. dubius" only, which by Mayr (2005) is united with "Ameghinornis minor".

References

* (2003): "Systematic revision of the Phorusrhacidae (Aves: Ralliformes)". "Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia" 43(4): 55-91 [http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_pdf&pid=S0031-10492003000400001&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en PDF fulltext]
* (2005): "Old World phorusrhacids" (Aves, Phorusrhacidae): a new look at "Strigogyps" ("Aenigmavis") "sapea" (Peters 1987). "PaleoBios (Berkeley)" 25(1): 11-16 [http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/science/paleobios/abstracts_21to25.php HTML abstract]
* (1987): Ein "Phorusrhacidae" aus dem Mittel-Eozän von Messel (Aves: Gruiformes: Cariamae). "Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie de Lyon" 99: 71-87. [Article in German]
* (2007): The fossil family Ameghinornithidae (Mourer-Chauviré 1981): a short synopsis. "Journal of Ornithology" 148(1): 25-28. doi|10.1007/s10336-006-0095-z [http://www.springerlink.com/content/g02p27126403245r/fulltext.pdf PDF fulltext]