Ornimegalonyx oteroi
 From: http://mikeduggan.tripod.com/species/prehistoric.html
A giant owl reconstructed
close to 1 metre tall. The discovery of a large extinct bird, in Cueva de Pio Domingo,
Pinar del Rio Province, western Cuba, was first written about by
Oscar Arredondo in 1954 and described as new genus and species of
cursorial bird (having limbs adapted for running). Because of it's
size it was first placed in the family Phorusrhacidae ameghino. In
1961 this was reviewed by Pierce Brodkorb who concluded that Ornimegalonyx
was an owl and it was placed in genus Strigidae. It is probable that
this owl did not run. In 1985 three sub species, from western Cuba,
were described. Remains are abundant, throughout the island, in cave
deposits from the Quaternary period (more than 10,000 years ago)
and at least three nearly complete skeletons have been found. The
other two were in Cueva del Centenario, Sierra de Cubitas, Camaguey
and Cayo Caguanes, Sancti Spiritus Province. Good specimens of Ornimegalonyx
oteroi acevedoi were found in Cayo Caguanes by members of Grupo Cayo-Barien,
of the Sociedad Espeleologica de Cuba, a group of speleologists.
The remains suggest a poorly flighted bird. Wing elements clearly
show that it was capable of flying short distances and the keel of
the sternum is reduced. If the keel were absent flight would have
been impossible.
|
