Paraptenodytes robustus

Taxobox
name = "Paraptenodytes robustus"
status = fossil
fossil_range = Early Miocene
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Sphenisciformes
familia = Spheniscidae
subfamilia = Paraptenodytinae
genus = "Paraptenodytes"
species = "P. robustus"
binomial = "Paraptenodytes robustus"
binomial_authority = (Ameghino, 1895)
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

"Paraptenodytes robustus" is the type species of the penguin genus "Palaeospheniscus", which is known from fossils. It was medium-sized, an estimated 70-80 cm long in life (similar to a Magellanic Penguin).

The fossils of this species are known from several dozen bones, found in Early Miocene rocks of the Patagonian Molasse Formation. 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

* 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. [http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace/bitstream/2246/392/1/B087a01.pdf PDF fulltext]
* Simpson, George Gaylord (1971): Conspectus of Patagonian fossil penguins. "American Museum Novitates" 2488: 1-37. [http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace/bitstream/2246/2696/1/N2488.pdf PDF fulltext]