Notochen
{{Short description|Extinct genus of birds}}
{{Speciesbox
| fossil_range = early Miocene,
{{fossil range|19|16}}
| parent_authority = Worthy et al., 2022
| genus = Notochen
| species = bannockburnensis
| authority = Worthy et al., 2022
}}
Notochen (meaning "southern goose"), also called the Bannockburn swan, is an extinct genus of anatid bird from the Early Miocene Bannockburn Formation of Otago, New Zealand. The genus contains a single species, Notochen bannockburnensis, known from various fossil material.{{Cite journal |last1=Worthy |first1=Trevor H. |last2=Scofield |first2=R. Paul |last3=Hand |first3=Suzanne J. |last4=De Pietri |first4=Vanesa L. |last5=Archer |first5=Michael |date=2022-07-20 |title=A swan-sized fossil anatid (Aves: Anatidae) from the early Miocene St Bathans Fauna of New Zealand |url=https://mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5168.1.3 |journal=Zootaxa |volume=5168 |issue=1 |pages=39–50 |doi=10.11646/zootaxa.5168.1.3 |pmid=36101302 |s2cid=250940807 |issn=1175-5334|doi-access=free |hdl=1959.4/unsworks_80890 |hdl-access=free }}
Discovery and naming
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|caption=Notochen type locality near Otago, New Zealand
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The Notochen holotype specimen, CM 2017.37.919, was discovered in the Bannockburn Formation (Manuherikia Group) near St Bathans, Otago, New Zealand. This specimen consists of the distal right humerus. Additional specimens, consisting of fragmentary coracoids and a proximal part of the right shaft of a humerus, were also referred to Notochen.
In 2022, Worthy et al. described Notochen bannockburnensis, a new genus and species of antatid, based on these fossil remains. The generic name, "Notochen", combines the Greek words "notios", meaning southern, and "chen," meaning "goose". The specific name, "bannockburnensis", refers to the geologic formation from which the fossils were recovered. Notochen represents the eighth anatid named from the St Bathans Fauna.
Description
The describing authors concluded that Notochen would have had a body size comparable to extant swans. Along with the coeval Miotadorna, Notochen would have likely been a terrestrial grazer, while other anatids from the locality were mainly aquatic herbivores with diving and swimming adaptations.
Classification
References
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Category:Extinct birds of New Zealand
Category:Prehistoric bird genera