New specimens of the logrunnerOrthonyx kaldowinyeri(Passeriformes: Orthonychidae) from the Oligo-Miocene of Australia

Researchers have uncovered new fossil evidence of the logrunner, Orthonyx kaldowinyeri, from the Oligo-Miocene period in Australia's Riversleigh World Heritage Area. This discovery extends the known temporal range of the Orthonychidae family into the late Oligocene, marking the oldest record for this group and the earliest Cenozoic passerine fossils confidently linked to an extant family in Australia. The study analyzed eight fossil tarsometatarsi and a distal tibiotarsus, revealing distinctive features associated with the bird's unique foraging behavior. These findings provide valuable insights into the palaeoenvironment of Riversleigh during this period, assuming similar vegetation requirements to extant logrunners.

Nguyen, J. M. T., Boles, W. E., Worthy, T. H., Hand, S. J., & Archer, M. (2013). New specimens of the logrunnerOrthonyx kaldowinyeri(Passeriformes: Orthonychidae) from the Oligo-Miocene of Australia. Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology, 38(2), 245–255. https://doi.org/10.1080/03115518.2014.861732