(Odontopterygiformes) from the Ashiya Group (Oligocene), Japan
(Odontopterygiformes) from the Ashiya Group (Oligocene), Japan
(Odontopterygiformes) from the Ashiya Group (Oligocene), Japan
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Bull. Kitakyusku Mus. Nat. Hist., 9: 123-126. December 31, 1989<br />
An occurrence of fossil bony-too<strong>the</strong>d bird<br />
(<strong>Odontopterygiformes</strong>) <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Ashiya</strong><br />
<strong>Group</strong> (<strong>Oligocene</strong>), <strong>Japan</strong><br />
Yoshihiko Okazaki<br />
Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History, Nishihonmachi 3,<br />
Yahatahigashiku, Kitakyushu 805, <strong>Japan</strong>.<br />
(Received October 31, 1989)<br />
Abstract An incomplete humer bone of odontopterygid bird is reported <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Oligocene</strong> <strong>Ashiya</strong><strong>Group</strong>, Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Kyushu,<strong>Japan</strong>. The length of humer bone is very<br />
large, suggesting <strong>the</strong> wing span of about 6 meters. The affinity of marine bird<br />
assemblage of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Ashiya</strong> <strong>Group</strong> to <strong>the</strong> Iwaki <strong>Group</strong>, Nor<strong>the</strong>astern Honshu, is empha<br />
sized as <strong>the</strong>y both yield plotopterygid and odontopterygid birds.<br />
Introduction<br />
On December 27 1988, one bone fossil specimen <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Ashiya</strong> <strong>Group</strong>, North<br />
Kyushu was brought to <strong>the</strong> Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History. That was a<br />
large humer bone ofa bird, reaching 60cmlong, with several fragmental wing-bones.<br />
The specimen had been stored by Mr. Masayuki Sadasue, Principal of <strong>the</strong> Asagi<br />
Primary School, Onga-cho. He obtained <strong>the</strong> specimen <strong>from</strong> a quarry worker of<br />
Mizumaki-cho, through his geological research along <strong>the</strong> Onga River (mainly sur<br />
veyed in 1974). From <strong>the</strong> same district, several fossil specimens of plotopterygid<br />
bird have been reported (Hasegawa et al., 1979). But <strong>the</strong> present specimen is much<br />
larger than plotopterygid humer, that is less than 25 cm. The large size and thin<br />
bone wall indicates <strong>the</strong> humer to be included in <strong>the</strong> odontopterygid bird.<br />
The presence of <strong>the</strong> odontopterygid bird in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Japan</strong>ese Tertiary has been<br />
reported <strong>from</strong> five localities (Table 1), <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Oligocene</strong> to Pliocene. As <strong>the</strong><br />
geological age of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Ashiya</strong> vertebrate Fauna (Okazaki 1988, etc.) is <strong>Oligocene</strong>,<br />
specimens of <strong>the</strong> Iwaki City are of <strong>the</strong>same age among <strong>the</strong><strong>Japan</strong>ese odontopterygid<br />
birds.<br />
Table 1. <strong>Japan</strong>ese fossils ofodontopterygid birds<br />
Location Part Age Reference<br />
Mizumaki, Fukuoka Pref. humerus <strong>Oligocene</strong> present report<br />
Iwaki, Fukushima Pref. rostrum, radius <strong>Oligocene</strong> Hasegawa et al., 1986<br />
Chichibu, Saitama Pref. quadrate M. Miocene Ono, 1989<br />
Mizunami, Gifu Pref. no report M. Miocene Ono, 1989<br />
Maesawa, Iwate Pref. humerus Pliocene Ono et al., 1985<br />
Kakegawa, Shizuoka Pref. femur Pliocene Ono et al., 1985
124 Yoshihiko Okazaki<br />
The author expresses his sincere thanks to Mr. Masayuki Sadasue for he kindly<br />
donated specimens to study, and Mr. Kuniomi Hirano, Kitakyushu Natural History<br />
Society who helped field activities; Also, Dr. Yoshikazu Hasegawa, Yokohama<br />
National University, Dr Keiichi Ono, National Science Museum, Osamu Sakamoto,<br />
Saitama Prefectural Museum of Natural History, and <strong>the</strong> persons of <strong>the</strong> Kitakyushu<br />
Museum of Natural History, for <strong>the</strong>ir suggestions and encouragements during <strong>the</strong><br />
study.<br />
Systematic description<br />
order <strong>Odontopterygiformes</strong> Howard 1957<br />
Family, genus, and species indet.<br />
Mizumaki specimen; left humerus with several fragmental wing bones.<br />
000, 013<br />
KMNH VP<br />
SMizumakifig.<br />
1. Locality of <strong>the</strong> Mizumaki Specimen.<br />
X Mizumaki Speciman. 38 Orio Specimen (plotopterygid).
Bony-too<strong>the</strong>d bird <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Ashiya</strong> <strong>Group</strong> 125<br />
Locality; Yoshida Miyao, near eastern boundary of <strong>the</strong> Mizumaki-cho, Fukuoka<br />
Prefecture, <strong>Japan</strong>. (130°42'44*E, 33°50'45*N)<br />
Horizon; Yamaga Formation, <strong>Ashiya</strong> <strong>Group</strong>.<br />
Discovery; by a quarry worker in about 1974.<br />
Description;<br />
Shaft and distal part of humerus preserved, but proximal end destroyed; shaft<br />
almost straight, depressed in anconal-palmar direction. Wall of bone shaft compact<br />
and very thin, about 2 mm and less than 1mm in thinner part. In articular part,<br />
inner surface of <strong>the</strong> bone wall with weak sponge structure, but in shaft part, inner<br />
surfacesmooth. At <strong>the</strong> brokenpart, where internal mould is observed, six periodical<br />
transverse inner ridges are seen in posterior part. Shaft somewhat diagonal in<br />
transverse section, with a ridge, compared to deltoid crest, along lateral margin near<br />
proximal end. In anconal view, entepicondyle and external condyle prominent.<br />
Olecranal fossa shallow. In palmar view, external condyle very prominent, internal<br />
condyle also prominent, intercondylar furrow shallow, entepicondyle very prominent.<br />
Beside <strong>the</strong> humer bone, several fragmental long bones are seen in <strong>the</strong> same slab;<br />
(1) Two long bones beside <strong>the</strong> distal end of <strong>the</strong> humerus, about 7 cm and 5 cm in<br />
length, circular section with shallow longitudinal furrow; may be parts of carpometacarpus.<br />
(2) A long bone fragment beside <strong>the</strong>central part of<strong>the</strong> humerus; may be <strong>the</strong>digit 2,<br />
phalanx 1.<br />
Measurements; Followings are measured in mm.<br />
total length as preserved (including mould) 619<br />
width of shaft at <strong>the</strong> narrowest part 33.7<br />
width of shaft at <strong>the</strong> distal end of deltoid crest 38.6<br />
anconal-palmar thickness at <strong>the</strong> distal end of deltoid crest 13.1<br />
width of distal articulation 62.9<br />
thickness of distal articulation 33.0<br />
Discussion and conclusion<br />
The present specimen of bird humer bone <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Oligocene</strong> <strong>Ashiya</strong> <strong>Group</strong> is<br />
identified as <strong>the</strong> <strong>Odontopterygiformes</strong>. This identification is depended on <strong>the</strong><br />
extraordinal large size of <strong>the</strong> bone, depressed shape of section in anconal-palmar<br />
direction, shallow olecranal fossa, and thin and compact bone wall of <strong>the</strong> shaft.<br />
Present report is <strong>the</strong> first record of odontopterygid bird <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Ashiya</strong> <strong>Group</strong>.<br />
The <strong>Ashiya</strong> <strong>Group</strong> yields many fossils of plotopterygid birds as already reported<br />
(Hasegawa etal., 1979), but plotopterygid humer is much smaller, with curved shaft<br />
and more improminent condyles in its distal articulation.<br />
The size of present humerbone is ra<strong>the</strong>r large even in <strong>the</strong> odonjopterygians, and
126 Yoshihiko Okazaki<br />
<strong>the</strong> estimation of <strong>the</strong> wing span is attempted. Preserved shaft of <strong>the</strong> present humer<br />
(61.9 cm, including mould) has weak expansion in its anterior proximal part,<br />
correlated as distal end of <strong>the</strong> doltoid crest. Lost length of proximal part ofhumer is<br />
estimated as 19.3 cm, calculated <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> figure of presented by Lartet, 1857<br />
(Pelagornis miocaenus). Howard (1957) estimated <strong>the</strong> ratio of wing span against<br />
humer to be 7.29 {Osteodontornis orri; 16 feet/ 593 mm plus 3 inches). The wing span<br />
of <strong>the</strong> present bird, <strong>the</strong>refore, is estimated as 592 cm. Internal periodical ridges seen<br />
in <strong>the</strong> present specimen may serve as reinforce structure of <strong>the</strong> bone.<br />
As already noted, <strong>the</strong>re are five localities of odontopterygid fossils in <strong>Japan</strong>.<br />
Among <strong>the</strong>m, Iwaki Formation also yields many plotopterygid birds, and <strong>the</strong>re is<br />
close similarity between <strong>the</strong>se two sediments in this viewpoint. This similarity can<br />
not been traced in cetacean faunas (Okazaki 1988), because <strong>the</strong> Iwaki Formation<br />
yields scarce cetacean fossils.<br />
Reference<br />
Alexander, R. M. (1989) Dynamics of Dinosaurs and o<strong>the</strong>r extinct Giants. Columbia Univ. Press, 150—<br />
151.<br />
Feduccia, A. (1980) The Ageoj Birds. Harvard Univ. Press, 80-81.<br />
Harrison, J. O. and Walker, C. A. (1976) A Review of <strong>the</strong> bony-too<strong>the</strong>d birds (<strong>Odontopterygiformes</strong>):<br />
with descriptions of some new species. Tertiary Res., Spec. Pap. 2: 1-62, pis. 1-10.<br />
Hasegawa, Y. etal. (1979) Preliminary Noteson <strong>the</strong> Oligo-Miocene Penguin-like Birds <strong>from</strong> <strong>Japan</strong><br />
(Parts 1-7). Bull. Kitakyushu Mus. Nat. Hist. 1: 41-60, pis. 12-19. (in<strong>Japan</strong>ese)<br />
Hasegawa, Y., Ono, K. and Koda, Y. (1986) Odontopterygid bird <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Oligocene</strong> Iwaki<br />
<strong>Group</strong>. Abslr. 1986 Ann. Meeting Palaeontol. Soc. <strong>Japan</strong>, 24. (in<strong>Japan</strong>ese)<br />
Howard, H. (1957) A gigantic "too<strong>the</strong>d" marine bird <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> Miocene ofCalifornia. Santa Barbara<br />
Mus. Nat. Hist., Dept. Geol. Bull. 1: 1-23, 8 figs.<br />
Howard, H. and Walter, S. L. (1969) A new species of bony-too<strong>the</strong>d bird (Family Pseudodontornithidae)<br />
<strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> Tertiary of New Zealand. Proc. Canterbury Mus. 8 (4): 345-357.<br />
Lartet, E. (1857) Note sur un humerus fossild d'oiseau, attribue a un tres grand Palmipeda de la<br />
section des Longipennes. C. r. hebd. Seanc. Acad. Sci., Paris, 44, 736-741, pi. 45.<br />
Okazaki, Y. (1988) <strong>Oligocene</strong> squalodont (Cetacea: Mammalia) <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Ashiya</strong> group, <strong>Japan</strong>.<br />
Bull. Kitakyushu Mus. Nat. Hist. 8: 75-80, pi. 1.<br />
Ono, K. (1980) Pliocene Tubinare Bird <strong>from</strong> Kakegawa, Shizuoka Prefecture, <strong>Japan</strong>. Mem. Natn.<br />
Sci. Mus. 13: 29-34, pi. 2.<br />
Ono, K. (1989) A Bony-too<strong>the</strong>d Bird <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> Middle Miocene, Chichibu Basin, <strong>Japan</strong>. Bull. Natn.<br />
Sci. Mus., Ser. C, 15 (1): 33-38.<br />
Ono, K., Y. Hasegawa, and T. Kawakami (1985) First record of <strong>the</strong> Pliocene bony-too<strong>the</strong>d bird<br />
(<strong>Odontopterygiformes</strong>) <strong>from</strong> <strong>Japan</strong>. Bull. Iwate Pref. Mus. 3: 155-157, pis. 1, 5. (in <strong>Japan</strong>ese with<br />
English Summary)<br />
Scarlet, R. J. (1972) Bone of a presumed Odontopterygian bird <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> Miocene of New<br />
Zealand. N. Z.Jour. Geol. Geophys. 15 (2): 269-274.
An occurrence of fossil bony-too<strong>the</strong>d bird<br />
(<strong>Odontopterygiformes</strong>) <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Ashiya</strong><br />
<strong>Group</strong> (<strong>Oligocene</strong>), <strong>Japan</strong><br />
Yoshihiko Okazaki<br />
Plate 1
Explanation of Plate<br />
Plate 1<br />
fig. 1.<br />
fig. 2.<br />
fig. 3.<br />
fig. 4.<br />
<strong>Odontopterygiformes</strong>, gen. et sp. indet.<br />
KMNH VP 000, 013<br />
Left humerus <strong>from</strong> Mizumaki-cho, Fukuoka Prefecture,<br />
anconal view<br />
X0.25<br />
section in near deltoid crest<br />
X0.5<br />
close view of distal part<br />
X0.5<br />
palmar view of articulation<br />
X0.5
Okazaki, Y. Bony-too<strong>the</strong>d bird <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Ashiya</strong> <strong>Group</strong> Plate 1