A new species of Lovebird (Aves, Psittaculidae, Agapornis) from the Plio-Pleistocene of the Cradle of Humankind (Gauteng, South Africa)

Paleontologists have identified a new extinct species of lovebird, Agapornis longipes, from Plio-Pleistocene deposits at Kromdraai, Cooper’s Cave, and Swartkrans in South Africa. This discovery is significant as it represents the first description of an Agapornis species from the Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its rich fossil record. The new species is distinguished by elongated tarsometatarsus bones, suggesting adaptations to ground feeding in dense grasslands that characterized the region during this period. Researchers analyzed well-preserved wing and leg bones, including the humerus, ulna, carpometacarpus, and tarsometatarsus, along with fragments of the mandible and coracoid, to reconstruct the species' morphology and infer its ecological role. This finding contributes to our understanding of avian biodiversity during a critical phase in human evolution.

Pavia, M., Braga, J., Delfino, M., Kgasi, L., Manegold, A., Steininger, C., Zipfel, B., & Val, A. (2025). A new species of Lovebird (Aves, Psittaculidae, Agapornis) from the Plio-Pleistocene of the Cradle of Humankind (Gauteng, South Africa). Geobios, 90, 133–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geobios.2024.05.006