EARLY PLIOCENE COLIIDAE (AVES, COLIIFORMES) FROM LANGEBAANWEG, SOUTH AFRICA

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Abstract
Rich, P. V. & Haarhoff, P. J. 1985. Early Pliocene Coliidae (Aves, Coliiformes) from Langebaanweg, South Africa. Ostrich 56: 20–41. Members of the Coliiformes (mousebirds) are osteologically unique, clearly distinct from all other orders of birds. They have a strikingly enlarged and broadened pygostyle, and may represent an ancient group that arose from piciform-coraciiform stock in the early Tertiary. A review of the osteology of the Coliidae indicates that the subgenera Colius (Colius) and C. (Urocolius) warrant generic rank. The mousebird remains from the early Pliocene Varswater Formation at Langebaanweg, Cape Province, represent at least one new species, Colius hendeyi, that is closely related to C. colius and C. striatus.