A falconid from the Late Miocene of northwestern China yields further evidence of transition in Late Neogene steppe communities

Abstract

Although the family Falconidae, which includes extant falcons and caracaras, has a long evolutionary history, most previously reported fossils referred to this family are isolated single elements. We report a new species, Falco hezhengensis sp. nov., represented by a nearly complete and articulated skeleton from the Late Miocene deposits of Linxia Basin in northwestern China. The new fossil shares an array of derived morphologies with the genus Falco, and analysis of the largest morphological dataset for Falconidae, sampling most genera, identifies the specimen as a new stem kestrel. The phylogeny shows a high degree of congruence with published molecular phylogenies and time trees supporting a Miocene radiation of Falconidae. The species provides a new calibration for the divergence of extant kestrels from other Falco. Remains of a small mammal, a jerboa (Dipodidae), are preserved in the abdominal region of the specimen. Integrated with data from other avian remains from the Linxia Basin, the new fossil provides further support for changes in the open steppe environment of Central Asia since the Late Miocene. Changes in falconid ecology and diet, shifts in small-mammal abundances, as well as the extinction of the Central Asian ostrich may be involved in community turnover in the Late Neogene. Keywords: Aves, Falco, fossil, jerboa, Late Miocene, Linxia Basin Un Falcónido del Mioceno tardío del noroeste de China brinda evidencia adicional de la transición en las comunidades de estepa del Neógeno tardío RESUMEN Aunque los Falconidae, que incluye halcones y caracaras vivientes, tienen una larga historia evolutiva, la mayoría de los fósiles previamente reportados para esta familia son elementosúnicos aislados. Aquí reportamos una nueva especie, Falco hezhengensis sp. nov., representada por un esqueleto casi completo y articulado de los depósitos del Mioceno tardío de la Cuenca de Linxia en el noroeste de China. El nuevo fósil comparte un conjunto de morfologías derivadas con el género Falco, y el análisis de la mayor base de datos morfológicos para Falconidae, con muestras de la mayoría de los géneros, identifica el espécimen como un nuevo cernícalo basal. La filogenia muestra un alto grado de congruencia con las filogenias moleculares y los árboles de tiempo publicados que apoyan una radiación de Falconidae en el Mioceno. La especie brinda una nueva calibración para la divergencia entre los cernícalos vivientes y el resto de los Falco. Los restos de un pequeño mamífero, un gerbo (Dipodidae), están preservados en la región abdominal del espécimen. En conjunto con datos de otros restos de aves de la Cuenca de Linxia, el nuevo fósil brinda sustento adicional para los cambios en el ambiente de estepa abierta de Asia Central desde el Mioceno tardío. Los cambios en la ecología y la dieta de los falcónidos, las fluctuaciones en la abundancia de los pequeños mamíferos, así como la extinción del avestruz de Asia Central pueden estar involucrados en el recambio comunitario del Neógeno tardío.

A timeline for the urbanization of wild birds: The case of the lesser kestrel

“…All together, these 10 species conform the Old World kestrel group, that evolved from a common ancestor about 4 million years ago (Fuchs et al 2015). In fact, fossil data agree well with DNA sequence inferences: a large kestrel extinct species, Falco hezhengensis, that just predated the above mentioned radiation, has been found in the Late Miocene (about 6-7 Ma) Linxia deposits in China (Li et al 2014).…”

A stem falconid bird from the Lower Eocene of Antarctica and the early southern radiation of the falcons

“…Backbone phylogeny of extant taxa after Fuchs et al (2015), inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data. Affinities of extinct taxa Thegornis, Pediohierax, and Falco hezhengensis were taken from osteological phylogenies performed by Noriega et al (2011); Becker (1987); and Li et al (2014), respectively, and we follow the taxonomic criteria of Cenizo et al (2012) and Emslie and Guerra Correa (2003) for the fossil specimens of Milvago sp. The temporal distribution of fossil taxa (dagger) is indicated by black squares.…”

“…Noriega et al 2011). Data from other Miocene taxa as Pediohierax ramenta and Falco hezhengensis were extracted from their published descriptions and figures (Wetmore 1936;Becker 1987;Li et al 2014).…”

Evidence of Late Miocene Peri-Tibetan Aridification From the Oldest Asian Species of Sandgrouse (Aves: Pteroclidae)

“…The presence of an extinct sandgrouse species in the late Miocene deposits of the Linxia Basin (Figure 1) adds to the growing knowledge of its diverse avifauna including an ostrich (Hou et al, 2005), a stem falcon (Li et al, 2014), old world vultures (Zhang et al, 2010;Li et al, 2016), a pheasant with a hyperelongated trachea (Li et al, 2018), and an eogruid (Musser et al, 2019). The new fossil sandgrouse occupied dry, arid habitats alongside the well-known, diverse extinct mammalian fauna from the Linxia Basin.…”