Neanis
Encyclopedia
Neanis is an extinct genus
of bird
probably related to woodpecker
s and toucan
s. It contains at least one species, N. schucherti; N. kistneri resembles this, but it probably belongs to a distinct genus and may not be closely related. Both are known from the Late Wasatchian
(51-52 MYA) stratum of the Early Eocene
Green River Formation
of the Western-Central USA. "N." kistneri is known from one fairly complete, but not very well preserved skeleton, whereas of N. schucherti even less material was found.
The systematic assignment of the genus (apart from the problems posed by "N." kistneri) is not well resolved. Initially, the genus (at that time only comprising the type species) was considered to be a passeriform. "N." kistneri was described 60 years later as a species of the genus Primobucco, which then thought to be related to woodpeckers because it had a zygodactyl foot or at least could turn the outer toe backwards; some years later, several genera (including Primobucco and Neanis) were put into a new family
, the Primobucconidae, which were thought to be a primitive kind of puffbird
.
However, it is now known that the primobucconids as originally defined were a paraphyletic assemblage including taxa as diverse as Coliiformes and Coraciiformes
. Indeed, the only remaining genus of the family is Primobucco (without kistneri), and the family as such has been moved to the Coraciiformes
. The closest relatives of Neanis schucherti may be the Piciformes
, or it might be an ancestral form in the piciform-coraciiform radiation. "N." kistneri seems more closely related to piciform birds. Neanis schucherti appears to share some traits with Hassiavis and might even be a cypselomorph
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
probably related to woodpecker
Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes. They are one subfamily in the family Picidae, which also includes the piculets and wrynecks. They are found worldwide and include about 180 species....
s and toucan
Toucan
Toucans are members of the family Ramphastidae of near passerine birds from the Neotropics. The family is most closely related to the American barbets. They are brightly marked and have large, often colorful bills. The family includes five genera and about forty different species...
s. It contains at least one species, N. schucherti; N. kistneri resembles this, but it probably belongs to a distinct genus and may not be closely related. Both are known from the Late Wasatchian
Wasatchian
The Wasatchian North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology , typically set from 55,400,000 to 50,300,000 years BP lasting . It is usually considered to be within the Eocene, more specifically the...
(51-52 MYA) stratum of the Early Eocene
Eocene
The Eocene Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Palaeocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the...
Green River Formation
Green River Formation
The Green River Formation is an Eocene geologic formation that records the sedimentation in a group of intermountain lakes. The sediments are deposited in very fine layers, a dark layer during the growing season and a light-hue inorganic layer in winter. Each pair of layers is called a varve and...
of the Western-Central USA. "N." kistneri is known from one fairly complete, but not very well preserved skeleton, whereas of N. schucherti even less material was found.
The systematic assignment of the genus (apart from the problems posed by "N." kistneri) is not well resolved. Initially, the genus (at that time only comprising the type species) was considered to be a passeriform. "N." kistneri was described 60 years later as a species of the genus Primobucco, which then thought to be related to woodpeckers because it had a zygodactyl foot or at least could turn the outer toe backwards; some years later, several genera (including Primobucco and Neanis) were put into a new family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
, the Primobucconidae, which were thought to be a primitive kind of puffbird
Puffbird
The puffbirds and their relatives in the near passerine family Bucconidae are tropical birds breeding from South America up to Mexico.They are related to the jacamars, but lack the iridescent colours of that family. They are mainly brown, rufous or grey, with large heads and flattened bills with a...
.
However, it is now known that the primobucconids as originally defined were a paraphyletic assemblage including taxa as diverse as Coliiformes and Coraciiformes
Coraciiformes
The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colorful near passerine birds including the kingfishers, the Hoopoe, the bee-eaters, the rollers, and the hornbills...
. Indeed, the only remaining genus of the family is Primobucco (without kistneri), and the family as such has been moved to the Coraciiformes
Coraciiformes
The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colorful near passerine birds including the kingfishers, the Hoopoe, the bee-eaters, the rollers, and the hornbills...
. The closest relatives of Neanis schucherti may be the Piciformes
Piciformes
Nine families of largely arboreal birds make up the order Piciformes, the best-known of them being the Picidae, which includes the woodpeckers and close relatives...
, or it might be an ancestral form in the piciform-coraciiform radiation. "N." kistneri seems more closely related to piciform birds. Neanis schucherti appears to share some traits with Hassiavis and might even be a cypselomorph