''Miodytes'' is a fossil genus of

grebe Grebes () are aquatic diving birds in the order Podicipediformes . Grebes are widely distributed freshwater birds, with some species also found in marine habitats during migration and winter. Some flightless species exist as well, most notably ...

known from a nearly complete specimen from Valjevo Basin, western Serbia known from an almost complete right wing skeleton. It contains a single species, ''M. serbicus''.

History

The specimen was collected from Bela Stena, Suseoke village. The binomial nomenclature for ''Miodytes serbicus'' means "Serbian Miocene diver".

Description

The holotype specimen of ''Miodytes'' is a slab that contains the right wing skeleton of the bird, nearly completed, consisting of the distal fragment of humerus, ulna, radius,

carpometacarpus The carpometacarpus is a bone found in the hands of birds. It results from the fusion of the carpal and metacarpal bone, and is essentially a single fused bone between the wrist and the knuckles. It is a smallish bone in most birds, generally flat ...

and parts of the wingtips. Due to the nature of the bones in the slab, the authors Dimitreijevich et al. (2002) used the humerus part and the carpometacarpus to provide comparative anatomy and a diagnosis. ''Miodytes'' can be differentiated from other grebes as the genus has a well developed epicondylus ventralis and a very deep and long sulcus musculi brachialis. The processus supracondylaris dorsalis is absent from the humerus. There are elements that are similar to grebes,

petrel Petrels are tube-nosed seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes. Description The common name does not indicate relationship beyond that point, as "petrels" occur in three of the four families within that group (all except the albatross f ...

s, and

shorebird 245px, A flock of Dunlins and Red knots">Red_knot.html" ;"title="Dunlins and Red knot">Dunlins and Red knots Waders or shorebirds are birds of the order Charadriiformes commonly found wikt:wade#Etymology 1, wading along shorelines and mudflat ...

s from the specimen in which the authors proclaimed of the three groups, ''Miodytes'' is most similar to grebes.

Classification

While Dimitreijevich et al. (2002) classifies ''Miodytes'' as a grebe, Ksepka et al. (2013) do not agree with the assessment. They are argued the diagnostic features that separate ''Miodytes'' from other grebes are more align with other seabirds. They stated there is no unambiguous synapomorphies that can confidently identify ''Miodytes'' as a grebe. Ksepka et al. (2013) argued at best ''Miodytes'' is a member of Mirandornithes, as it does have a strongly elongate phalanx II-1 which lacks an internal indicus proces. More specimens are needed to established the taxonomic placement of this bird.

Paleobiology

''Miodytes'' is from the

Early Miocene The Early Miocene (also known as Lower Miocene) is a sub-epoch of the Miocene epoch (geology), Epoch made up of two faunal stage, stages: the Aquitanian age, Aquitanian and Burdigalian stages. The sub-epoch lasted from 23.03 ± 0.05 annum, Ma to ...

from the "Bela Stena series" from Valjevo Basin. The site is the oldest recorded lake formation with records of plant and insect remains, fish bones, and feathers. Fragmentary bird fossils have been retrieved but most cannot be identified at the species level. Inferring from the ecology of modern grebes and how the specimen was preserved, Dimitreijevich et al. (2002) suggested ''Miodytes'' was a migratory species and the individual died from an accident, not predation.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q84237719 Podicipediformes Prehistoric bird genera