'' Microcarbo serventyorum'', also referred to as Serventys' cormorant, is an extinct
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of small
cormorant from the
Holocene
The Holocene ( ) is the current geological epoch. It began approximately 11,650 cal years Before Present (), after the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene togeth ...
of Australia. It was
described by
Gerard Frederick van Tets
Gerard Frederick van Tets (19 January 1929 – 14 January 1995), otherwise known as Jerry van Tets, was a twentieth century British, Canadian and Australian ornithologist and palaeontologist. Born to Dutch parents, jhr. Hendrik Barthout van ...
from
subfossil skeletal material (a
pelvis with proximal parts of the
femora
The femur (; ), or thigh bone, is the proximal bone of the hindlimb in tetrapod vertebrates. The head of the femur articulates with the acetabulum in the pelvic bone forming the hip joint, while the distal part of the femur articulates with t ...
and some
caudal vertebrae) found in 1970 in a
peat
Peat (), also known as turf (), is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, moors, or muskegs. The peatland ecosystem covers and is the most efficient ...
swamp at
Bullsbrook, Western Australia
Bullsbrook (formerly Bullsbrook East) is a northern suburb of Perth, Western Australia in the outer metropolitan area. It is located in the City of Swan. The original Bullsbrook townsite is located slightly west of the current town, on the 17&nbs ...
. The pelvic features indicate that the bird was adept at foraging in confined wetlands such as swamps with dense vegetation, small pools and narrow streams. The specific epithet honours the brothers
Dominic
Dominic is a name common among Roman Catholics and other Latin-Romans as a male given name. Originally from the late Roman-Italic name "Dominicus", its translation means "Lordly", "Belonging to God" or "of the Master". Variations include: Domini ...
and
Vincent Serventy for their contributions to knowledge of Australian cormorants.
References
serventyorum
Endemic birds of Western Australia
Holocene extinctions
Extinct birds of Australia
Birds described in 1994
Fossil taxa described in 1994
{{Paleo-bird-stub