Pliocene waterfowl (Aves : Anseriformes) from South Australia and a new genus and species

Abstract

The occurrences of fossil bones of waterfowl (Aves : Anseriformes) in Pliocene faunas from the Lake Eyre Basin are described. Nine modern taxa are present in either the Kanunka or the Toolapinna Faunas from the Tirari Formation as follows: Anseranas semipalmata (Magpie Goose), Cereopsis novaehollandiae (Cape Barren Goose), Cygnus atratus (Black Swan), Tadorna tadornoides (Australian Shelduck), Biziura lobata (Musk Duck), Oxyura australis (Blue-billed Duck), Anas cf. A. castanea (Chestnut Teal), A. cf. A. gracilis (Grey Teal) and Aythya australis (Hardhead). A new genus and species of oxyurine, Tirarinetta kanunka, gen. et sp. nov. is described from the Kanunka Fauna on the basis of a humerus.