#genyornis

[impulseimpact]

back on paleostream flocking with lepidodendron, baryonyx, champsosaurus and genyornis, still testing the vector style

[veloci-raptor]

Flocking Together #98

Lepidodendron/Baryonyx

Champsosaurus/Genyornis

[cookiecuttercritter]

❗️GOOSE NEWS❗️

A paper by McInerney, Blokland, & Worthy in the journal Historical Biology describes a remarkably complete Genyornis newtoni skull, shedding new light on Australia’s last Demon Duck 🦆

The Dromornithidae, mihirungs, or demon ducks were large, flightless relatives of modern waterfowl. Genyornis stood over 2 m tall.

The fossil skull shows that Genyornis had a wide beak with flattened surfaces for eating soft fruit and aquatic plants.

It also had a helmet-like casque, in the style of the cassowary, though more triangular and not quite as flamboyant.

Everyone agrees Genyornis was a big weird goose ✨

[dry-gold]

Most interesting extinct australian animal starting with 'G'

Garbina

Genyornis

Griphognathus

Gyracanthides

Voting ended onJan 31, 2024

Links and propaganda. Garbina, a cretaceous footprint taxa of a stegosaurid that was a facultative biped

Genyornis, a cenozoic dromornithid bird

Griphognathus, a devonian lungfish

Gyracanthides, a devonian acanthodian shark

[romanwetland]

Epochtober Day 2: Pleistocene (Genyornis)🪿#paleoart #procreate #digitalart #digitalpainting #genyornis #paleontology #epochtober

[harpagornis]

"Goose like"

So a new study has examined the first complete Genyornis skull. It is truly a mastery of phylogenetics, firmly placing Dromornithidae as indeed true waterfowl.

However one of the conclusions of the study is a bit sus. It claims that Genyornis, and by proxy other dromornithids, fed primarily on aquatic plants. This is based on two main factors: small gastroliths indicating softer plant diet and a beak superficially similar to that of a goose. Geese, however, are notoriously the most terrestrial of living waterfowl, having a diet dominated by grass and only a small percentage of aquatic plants. Some like the Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae) and the Nene (Branta sandvicensis) even have reduced webbing on the feet.

Dromornithids are known to have nail-like claws, a point even pointed out in the new paper. This is consistent with a more terrestrial ecology for these birds. I find it more plausible that they were feeding on soft foliage rather than quatic plants, which is still concurrent with the study's conclusion of their demise as Australia became more arid, since fewer soft leaved trees remained.

Other dromornithids like Dromornis itself also have a very distinct beak shape. I find comparisions between the dromornithid taxa and potential dietary habits need to be made before jumping to conclusions.

[macronecteshalli]

Tiny little Genyornis sketch

Nothing special, probably not even accurate, just wanted to draw the little (big) guy. :^] Will probably draw a proper picture of this cool guy eventually.

[otussketching]

Some watercolour studies of dromornithids, also known as (the much cooler name) Mihirungs. The animals depicted are Dromornis and Genyornis, amd they lived in Australia. Despite their somewhat threatening appearance, they were peaceful browsing herbivores related to ducks and geese, and may have travelled the outback in a rather ponderous manner.

Dromornis (the brown one with a big beak) lived in Australia during the Miocene and the Pliocene, and is probably the most popular mihirung. It was initially thought to be a carnivore, but it's beak was better suited for shearing branches and processing leaves, nuts and fruit. It was still, however, a formidable animal. At 3 meters tall and 700 kilograms, it wad the biggest animal in its environment, and the second largest bird ever.

Genyornis (the tan one with a smaller beak), lived during the late pleistocene, and may have survived long enough to counter humans (and then stop encountering them). It is not as well known as Dromornis, which is a bit of a downer, in my opinion. Of course, it wasn't as big, but at over 2 meters tall and 275 kilograms, it was still a magnificent bird. One can only imagine how ancient people reacted when they first saw a flock (or gaggle?) Of Genyornis calmly stroll through a forest clearing.