Eocolius walkeri
Eocolius walkeri
Summary
Eocolius walkeri was originally described as a mousebird relative, but later anatomical work found that the characters needed to place it securely within Coliiformes are lacking. The current London Clay synthesis therefore treats it as a neoavian bird of uncertain ordinal position.
Its small body and flight apparatus show that it was a fully volant land bird, but a mousebird style climbing and feeding ecology should not be assumed. Insectivory or mixed feeding is possible for a small arboreal neoavian, yet the fossil evidence does not currently justify a more specific lifestyle reconstruction.
Quick Identification
Look for: an associated small bird skeleton or a very well preserved humerus and coracoid matching the type morphology. Do not identify it as a mousebird from size alone; the supracoracoid nerve foramen and humeral proportions are important specialist characters.
Diagnostic Features
- The coracoid has a supracoracoid nerve foramen, unlike Archaeodromus.
- The humeral dorsal tubercle is less elongate than in Archaeodromus.
- The ventral supracondylar tubercle does not extend as far proximally as in Archaeodromus.
- The distal humeral flexor process differs from the blunter Archaeodromus condition.
- No unique character combination currently secures the species within Coliiformes.
Fossil Details
Similar Species
Recorded Fossil Sites
No fossil-site occurrences have yet been recorded for this species.