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Pelagornis
Images: 
By Fin Lover
Taxonomy
Pelagornis
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Odontopterygiformes
Family: Pelagornithidae
Genus: Pelagornis
Species: Pelagornis cf. sandersi
Author Citation Ksepka, 2014
Geological Time Scale
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Cenozoic
Period: Paleogene
Sub Period: None
Epoch: Oligocene
Stratigraphy
Ashley Formation
Provenance
Collector: Erin Osborne
Date Collected: 12/22/2023
Acquired by: Field Collection
Dimensions
Length: 107 mm
Height: 32 mm
Thickness: 7 mm
Location
Summerville
South Carolina
United States
Comments
The only Pelagornis fossils from the area are believed to be from Pelagornis sandersi; however, in order to be sure that this is not another species previously unknown to the area, we would need a larger specimen. Comparisons between species can be made using the caudalmost set of mandibular pseudoteeth, the rostral portion of the upper jaw, and the femur. The holotype was collected from the younger Chandler Bridge Formation, making this one of the oldest specimens from the area.
Reference:
D.T. Ksepka, Flight performance of the largest volant bird, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 111 (29) 10624-10629, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1320297111 (2014).
This specimen was also identified by the Charleston Center for Paleontology, where it has been donated with permission from the property owners. Collection number: CCP-2
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