Xenicibis xympithecus (Jamaica Flightless Ibis)

[Melanie]

Deletion of the Flightless Ibis Xenicibis
from the Fossil Record of Cuba
WILLIAM SUA´ REZ Museo Nacional de Historia Natural;
Obispo 61, Plaza de Armas, La Habana CH 10100, Cuba.
[e-mail]
Shortly after the discovery of the first known flightless
ibis Apteribis glenos (Olson and Wetmore, 1976) in
the Hawaiian islands (augmented later by a second
species A. brevis Olson and James, 1991), the equally
remarkable flightless ibis Xenicibis xympithecus (Olson
and Steadman, 1977) was described from Jamaica. The
description was based on some postcranial elements
collected by H. E. Anthony during 1919-1920 in a cave
deposit at Long Mile Cave, Trelawny Parish, Jamaica,
and was followed by the description of a complete and
well preserved humerus from Swansea Cave, St.
Catherine Parish, Jamaica (Olson and Steadman,
1979).
That Xenicibis might have been more widely distributed
was suggested by Acevedo-Gonza´les and Arredondo
(1982), who recorded the genus from Cuba
without mentioning localities or specimens. Arredondo
(1984:6-7) then referred to “Xenicibis sp.” a
complete left humerus that he collected in Cueva de
Pý´o Domingo, Sumidero, Pinar del Rý´o, and kept in his
private collection (OA 2969). He also noted some other
appendicular elements of “Xenicibis sp.”, including the
distal end of a left tibiotarsus, a left tarsometatarsus,
and one phalanx, all uncataloged at the time but now
numbered OA 2970a, OA 2971, and OA 2972, respectively.
These bones were found in association with the
humerus, and the tarsometatarsus was described
briefly.
As part of my revisionary work on Arredondo’s paleontological
collection, I examined all of the above
material and found that it does not represent the genus
Xenicibis, nor any other ibis (Threskiornithidae).
Instead, these specimens agree in all their osteological
characters with Aramus guarauna, the Limpkin (Aramidae),
a gruiform structurally similar to primitive
cranes (see Olson 1985). Arredondo did not compare
his material with Aramus, and his identification of the
fossil specimens was based on comparisons with illustrations
of Xenicibis xympithecus (see Arredondo 1984).
The Limpkin is widely distributed in the Neotropics
and is fairly common in Cuba (Garrido and Garcý´a
Montan˜a, 1975). It occurs in other Greater Antillean
islands near bodies of water, rice fields, wooded floodplains
of rivers, and upland wet forest (Raffaele et al.,
1998:265).
The left humerus reported by Arredondo is inside
the range variation of a small series of skeletons of
Aramus guarauna from Cuba. It is partially covered by
travertine, showing wear on the pectoral crest, internal
tuberosity, and bicipital crest. The other referred specimens show some differences in color and degree
of mineralization in comparison with this last specimen.
The humerus of Xenicibis is characterized by a
slender twisted shaft, bicipital crest reduced, pectoral
crest reduced in area, thickened, and twisted; external
tuberosity reduced and displaced distally, with a very
deep and wide brachial depression (Olson and Steadman,
1979). None of these flightless characters occurs
in the Cuban humerus, which has a much shorter shaft
that is less curved latero-medially and not twisted and
flattened up to the mid point; the bicipital crest is well
developed and not reduced, and placed proximally;
the external tuberosity is more proximal and well defined,
not distal and reduced; the pectoral crest is large
and wide instead of short and thin.
None of the other bones show diagnostic characters
of the genus Xenicibis, such as very wide anterior intercondylar
fossa and reduced supratendinal bridge in
the tibiotarsus, or tarsometatarsus with two simple
calcaneal ridges well separated by a deep groove (Olson
and Steadman, 1977). In all respects these bones
agree with Aramus guarauna, particularly in having a
wide supratendinal bridge, a thin intercondylar sulcus
of the tibiotarsus, and a tarsometatarsus with closed
calcaneal ridges that form canals, among other characters.
However, these specimens represent the first
record of Aramus guarauna in Cuban Quaternary deposits.
The genus Xenicibis is known only in Jamaica, where
its flightlessness evolved. Water barriers that constantly
separated that island from Cuba throughout
geological history (see Iturralde-Vinent and MacPhee,
1999) prevented the dispersal of this genus to Cuba.
Acknowledgements.—I thank Prof. Oscar Arredondo
for his assistance during the revision of his paleontological
collection. Gilberto Silva Taboada (Museo Nacional
de Historia Natural de Cuba) and Storrs L. Olson
(Smithsonian Institution) made valuable
comments on the first drafts of this manuscript.

www.uprm.edu/publications/cjs/Vol37a/37_109-110.pdf

[another specialist]

Having spoken about this at length with Nick Longrich I no longer
think it likely that the club-like swollen carpometacarpi of _Xenicibis_
were used as walking props (as proposed by Storrs Olson - I do not
have the ref to hand). Nick spent ages playing with the things and a
couple of features seen in the _Xenicibis_ wing skeleton are also seen
in birds which use their carpometacarpi as weapons (e.g. _Tachyeres_).
Can't give away all the details as this has yet to be published.


dml.cmnh.org/2001Jul/msg00623.html

[another specialist]

Jamaica Flightless Ibis
(Xenicibis xympithecus)

distribution:

Jamaica

size: ?

extinction date: ?

This species is only known on the basis of subfossil remains which were found in several caves.

The Jamaica Ibis was absolutely flightless. Its wingbones showed swellings unknown in any other bird species. Some scientists actually did believe the bird may have used its wings as forelegs and therefore would have been the only known 'quadruped bird'.

Surely this ibis wasn't a quadruped, like all other birds it used only its hindlegs for walking. But for what purpose it had such swollen wingbones is still unknown.

www.extinct.minks-lang.de/7voegel/a.birdsarten.n-z/xenicibis.xympithecus1.htm

[another specialist]

Dear Darren,

Xenicibis xympithecus wasn't described by Olson and Wetmore, but by Olson
and Steadman:

Storrs L. Olson & David W. Steadman, 1977
A New Genus of Flightless Ibis (Threskiornithidae) and Other fossil Birds
from Cave Deposits in Jamaica
Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 90(2): 23-27

Type: Xenicibis xympithecus

Holotype: Proximal half of left tarsometatarsus, AMNH 11006.,

Paratypes: 8 other specimen: coracoid, coracoid, shaft humerus (AMNH
11031), proximal end femur, proximal end tibiotarsus, distal 1/3
tibiotarsus, 2/3 tibiotarsus and pedal phalanx 1 digit IV. Noteworthy is
that Olson and Steadman state: that possibly the humerus doesn't have the
same data as the holotype (collected 16 or 17 Januari 1920 by H. E. Anthony
at Long Mile Cave, Windsor, Trelawny Parish, Jamaica.), they go on giving
some measurements (for the humerus
: width and depth of the shaft at distal end of the attachment of latissimus
dorsi postoralis 6.2, 6.4 (I hope mm.). Here they don't mention nything
about quadrupedallity., But things are becomming more interestingly:

In 1979 there was an additional paper by the same authors:

Storrs L. Olson & David W. Steadman, 1979
The Humerus of Xenicibis, the Extinct Flightless Ibis of Jamaica
Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 92: 23-27

I will give the abstract:

The first known complewte humerus of the extinct fossil Ibis Xenicibis
xympithecus is reported from a new locality in Jamaica. The specimen
exhibits many of the morphological characteristics seen in flightless birds
and possesses a number of characters which distinguish it readely from all
other ibises.

If there was even a suggestion of quadrupedallity, I guess it would be
mentioned. I haven't read this paper since 4 years, but if I remember
correctly (IIRC!, yes I learn!), there wasn't any suggestion in ths paper in
that direction.

I do not know of any other paper about Xenicibis. But if there is any, and
certainly one about Xenicibis being a quadrupedal, please, please let me
know with full reference.



>Ron asked me to send more information on _Xenicibis_, possibly the
>only facultatively quadrupedal bird ever, so here goes. I do not have the
>literature to hand, nor have I in fact seen the paper where Olson
>suggests quadrupedality in this animal: I'm going from what I learnt off
>Julian Hume (an ornithologist who specialises in Mascarene birds: see
>_Smithsonian_ 30 (12), March 2000).
>
>_Xenicibis xympithecus_ Olson and Wetmore 1976 is from Jamaica.

Well here you are. Of coure did Olson and Wetmore descibe an ibis in 1976,
but it wasn't Xenicibis and it wasn't from Jamaica. It was, of course
Apteribis glenos from Hawaii:

Storrs L. Olson & Alexander Wetmore, 1976
Preliminary Diagnoses of Extraordinary New Genera of Birds from Pleistocene
Deposits in te Hawaiian Isands
Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 89(18): 247-258

One of the paratypes was a right humerus (BBM-X 147240, Bishop Museum))

In the remarks Olson and Wetmore mention the fact that (at that time) it was
the only lightless ibis, and also the only flightless member of the
Ciconiiformes.

Of course the stiry of Apteribis doesn't end here.

In 1991 Storrs Olson and Helen James described thirty-two new species from
Hawaii. Amonf them there was, of course Apteribis glenos Olson and Wetmore,
1976, but also a new species of Apteribis: Apteribis brevis Olson & James, 1991.
But here also, no mentioning of quadrupedallity. So again, what is the
complete reference for your statement? I know about quadrupedal pterosaurs,
but ibises?, please , let me know. I know birds are amazing, but quadrupedal?

Hope it helps,

Fred



>apparently resembled other robust ibises but for its wings. These are
>really peculiar, with uniquely modified ulnae and carpometacarpi. The
>ulnae have markedly attenuated distal ends and are fairly straight; the
>carpometacarpi are large fused clubs, totally unlike those of any other
>bird. Accordingly, Olson suggested that these might have been used in
>supporting the animal in a quadrupedal pose. I understand this was
>published in a short paper (or extended abstract?) presented at an
>American ornithological convention. The idea is not mentioned in the
>_Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington_ paper that first described this bird.
>
>>From the global perspective, what's interesting about _Xenicibis_ is
>that it has helped demonstrate the weirdness potential of ibises. For
>decades, all known ibises were pretty much the same, and despite their
>geographical and ecological success, they all looked pretty similar. It is
>only within the last 20 years that extinct island endemics have changed
>this view - we now know that ibises evolved flightlessness on the
>Hawaiian islands (_Apteribis_) and in the Caribbean. The Mascarene
>form _Borbonibis_, now regarded as the origin of the Reunion
>solitaire (_Ornithaptera_/_Victoriornis_) myth (more on that to appear
>in print soon), was not flightless and has recently been regarded as
>possibly congeneric with _Threskiornis_. At least some of these forms,
>like _Xenicibis_, were morphologically absurd as birds go.
>
>Finally, what are ibises? Most recent parsinomy analyses of Cainozoic
>bird taxa find that the traditional clades of Gadow and Wetmore (e.g.,
>Gruiformes, Coraciiformes, Pelecaniformes) are supported
>empirically, whereas rather more unorthodox alternatives (e.g., that
>falconids are closest to musophagids, that herons are gruiforms, that
>anseriforms are charadriiforms etc.) are not. To my knowlegde no
>study has yet been holistic enough to look at ciconiiforms as well as
>palaeognaths, gruiforms and other groups, but I suppose people are
>working on it. Where ibises fall into all this will be interesting - and
>here we go back to the polyphyletic ratites thing - because Olson has
>suggested that kiwis might be modified ibises. I suppose I should also
>note that we might consider spoonbills as modified ibises too.
>
>Finally finally, are there any onychophoran experts out there?
>
>DARREN NAISH
>PALAEOBIOLOGY RESEARCH GROUP
>School of Earth, Environmental & Physical Sciences
>UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH
>Burnaby Building
>Burnaby Road email: [e-mail]
>Portsmouth UK tel: [phone]
>P01 3QL
>
>

dml.cmnh.org/2000Jun/msg00385.html

[Melanie]

Long before the knights of medieval Europe wielded flails or martial artists brandished nunchucks, it appears that a flightless prehistoric bird used its own wings as a similar type of weapon in combat.

Paleontologists at Yale and the Smithsonian Institution have discovered that Xenicibis, a member of the ibis family that lived about 10,000 years ago and was found only in Jamaica, most likely used its specialized wings like a flail, swinging its upper arm and striking its enemies with its thick hand bones.

"No animal has ever evolved anything quite like this," says Nicholas Longrich of Yale, who led the research. "We don't know of any other species that uses its body like a flail. It's the most specialized weaponry of any bird I've ever seen."

As part of the new study, the researchers analyzed a number of recently discovered partial skeletons of Xenicibis and found that the wings were drastically different from anything they'd seen before. "When I first saw it, I assumed it was some sort of deformity," Longrich says. "No one could believe it was actually that bizarre."

The bird, which was the size of a large chicken, is anatomically similar to other members of the ibis family except for its wings, which include thick, curved hand bones unlike those of any other known bird. Xenicibis also had a much larger breastbone and longer wings than most flightless birds. "That was our first clue that the wings were still being used for something," Longrich said.

While other birds are known to punch or hammer one another with their wings, Xenicibis is the only known animal to have used its hands, which were hinged at the wrist joint, like two baseball bats to swing at and strike its opponents. Although modern day ibises do not strike one another in this fashion, they are very territorial, with mates often fighting other pairs over nesting and feeding rights.

It's also possible that the birds used their club-like wings to defend themselves against other species that might have preyed on the birds' eggs or young. Xenicibis is unusual in that it became flightless even in the midst of a number of predators, including the Jamaican yellow boa, a small extinct monkey and over a dozen birds of prey.

The team found that two of the wing bones in the collection showed evidence of combat, including a fractured hand bone and a centimeter-thick upper arm bone that was broken in half. The damage is proof of the extreme force the birds were able to wield with their specialized wings, Longrich said.

Other authors of the paper include Storrs Olson (National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution).

— By Suzanne Taylor Muzzin

dailybulletin.yale.edu/article.aspx?id=8134

[Deleted]

O cool, and finally there are several depictions of this bird to be find in the net.

[amongthylacines]

Very interesting, our boxing flightless ibis friends

But I can't see what is so strange about this:
"It's also possible that the birds used their club-like wings to defend themselves against other species that might have preyed on the birds' eggs or young. Xenicibis is unusual in that it became flightless even in the midst of a number of predators, including the Jamaican yellow boa, a small extinct monkey and over a dozen birds of prey."

Birds can lose their flight when they co-evolve with these species.

[RSN]

Ancient Bird Used Its Wings As Weapons


Nicholas Longrich/Yale University

Scientists suggest that an extinct flightless bird from Jamaica fought rivals and predators using wings which evolved into clubs.

The boney bludgeons the bird carried are unlike anything else known in the bird world.

The scientists report finding bones that had apparently been broken by another bird’s club.

The species may have survived until less than 10,000 years ago.

The bird was probably about the size of a chicken, but with an infinitely more robust armory.

Fossils show that the metacarpus was elongated and much bigger than in related species, with very thick walls.

The researchers wrote that this allowed the wings to function "in combat as a jointed club or flail."

"We don’t really know how they would have used these clubs, but we do know that modern ibises grab each other by the beak and pound away with their wings," said Nicholas Longrich, from Yale University in the US.

"And we analyzed two bones that had been broken during fighting, including a humerus (upper arm bone) that had been snapped in half – it had started to re-heal, although the two ends hadn’t knitted together," he told BBC News.

Storris Olson from the Smithsonian Institution, who was also involved in the research, was one of the scientists who first identified Xenicibis xympithecus back in the 1970s.

A number of other birds are known to fight by hitting each other with their wings.

Some have evolved spurs to increase the damage they can wreak.

The extinct solitairy bird from the Indian Ocean island of Rodrigues had bony growths colloquially known as "musketballs" on their wings, which appear to have served the same purpose.

"But among vertebrates – there’s no animal of any sort that has anything like a limb modified as a club," Longrich told BBC.

Julian Hume, an avian paleontologist with London’s Natural History Museum, told BBC that unlike most flightless birds, Xenicibis retained long wings, possibly making its flailing more powerful.

"Ibis young stay in the nest for a relatively long time," he said.

"So if they retained that feature, that suggests they needed it for defense against predators – and there were quite a few on Jamaica."

However, ibises also are more territorial, so the flailing clubs may also have found employment in disputes between individuals, probably with both sexes involved.

The findings are reported in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.


Nicholas Longrich/Yale University

www.redorbit.com/news/science/1974312/ancient_bird_used_its_wings_as_weapons/

[surroundx]

Acevedo-González, M. and Arredondo, Oscar. (1982). Paleozoogeografía y geología del Cuaternario de Cuba, características y distribución geográfica de los depósitos con restos de vertebrados. IX Jornada Científica del Instituto de Geología y Paleontología, Academia de Ciencias de Cuba, pág. 59-84.

[surroundx]

Longrich, Nicholas R. and Olson, Storrs L. (2011). The bizarre wing of the Jamaican flightless ibis Xenicibis xympithecus: a unique vertebrate adaptation. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 278(1716): 2333-2337.

[surroundx]

D.A. McFarlane, J. Lundberg, and A. G. Fincham. (2002). A late Quaternary paleoecological record from caves of southern Jamaica, West Indies. Journal of Cave and Karst Studies 64(2): 117-125.

[surroundx]

Olson, Storrs L. and Steadman, David W. (1979). The humerus of Xenicibis, the extinct flightless ibis of Jamaica. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 92(1): 23-27.

[surroundx]

Original description:

Olson, Storrs L. and Steadman, David W. (1977). A new genus of flightless ibis (Threskiornithidae) and other fossil birds from cave deposits in Jamaica. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 90(2): 447-457.