| Barbados rail Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Gruiformes |
| Family: | Rallidae |
| Genus: | Fulica |
| Species: | †F. podagrica
|
| Binomial name | |
| †Fulica podagrica | |
The Barbados rail is a fossil rail species endemic to Barbados with an undetermined taxonomic status.[2] It was formerly described by Pierce Brodkorb in 1965 as Fulica podagrica.[3] However, this classification has been questioned by Storrs Olson when he described Brodkorb's material anew in 1974.[2] It is only known by Brodkorb's holotype which consists of a humerus and several leg elements including femur, tibiotarsus and tarsometatarsus fragments.[3] The humerus may not be specifically distinct from those of the American coot (Fulica americana) but most of the femur, tibiotarsus and tarsometarsus fragments are from a yet undescribed larger rail of an undetermined genus not related to Fulica.[3] Olson further assumed that Brodkorb's material might be a composite of several rail species.[3] The bone fragments were unearthed in Late Pleistocene deposits in Saint Philip Parish and Ragged Point on Barbados.[3]
Etymology
[edit]Brodkorb's previous species epithet is derived from the Greek term podagrikos (which means affected with gout). This applied in allusion to the large size of the leg elements.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ P. Brodkorb. 1965. Fossil birds from Barbados, West Indies. The Journal of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society 31(1):3–10
- ^ a b Storrs Olson: A new species of Nesotrochis from Hispaniola, with notes on other fossil rails from the West Indies (Aves: Rallidae) In: Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 87, 38:p 439-450, 1974
- ^ a b c d e f Storrs Olson: A synopsis on the fossil Rallidae In: Sidney Dillon Ripley: Rails of the World – A Monograph of the Family Rallidae. Codline. Boston, 1977. ISBN 0-87474-804-6
Further reading
[edit]- P. Brodkorb. 1967. Catalogue of fossil birds: Part 3 (Ralliformes, Ichthyornithiformes, Charadriiformes). Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences 11(3):99–220 [M. Uhen/M. Uhen]
- S. L. Olson. 1977. A synopsis of the fossil Rallidae. In S. D. Ripley (ed.), Rails of the World 339–378 [M. Uhen/M. Uhen]
Well, that’s interesting to know that Psilotum nudum are known as whisk ferns. Psilotum nudum is the commoner species of the two. While the P. flaccidum is a rare species and is found in the tropical islands. Both the species are usually epiphytic in habit and grow upon tree ferns. These species may also be terrestrial and grow in humus or in the crevices of the rocks.
View the detailed Guide of Psilotum nudum: Detailed Study Of Psilotum Nudum (Whisk Fern), Classification, Anatomy, Reproduction