| Miobaptus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Life restoration ofMiobaptus | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Podicipediformes |
| Family: | Podicipedidae |
| Genus: | †Miobaptus Švec, 1982 |
| Type species | |
| †Miobaptus walteri Švec, 1982 | |
| Other species | |
Miobaptus is a fossil genus ofgrebe that is known from several specimens collected from Czechia and Lake Baikal dating from theEarly Miocene toMiddle Miocene. Considered to be one of the most primitive genera of grebes, the anatomy ofMiobaptus suggests it was less adapted for the aquatic mode of life than modern grebes, but had better flight maneuverability.
The holotype speciesM. walteri was collected fromDolnice and described by Švec (1982).[1] He would later describe more specimens of the species fromBohemia in 1984.[2] A second speciesM. huzhiricus was described by Zelenkov (2015) from specimens collected fromOlkhon Island.[3]
The distal part in the humeri ofMiobaptus is different from extant grebes as the surface is flat and overall the wingbones more elongated. In contrast the distal ends in the humeri of extant grebes the surfaces is more concave, and overall they have much shorter wingbones.[3]
Miobaptus is placed basally in the phylogenetic tree of grebes where similarities have been made between this genus andPalaelodidae. The palaelodids is an extinct family ofPhoenicopteriformes where they have been suggested to be the transitional form betweenflamingos and grebes.[4] BothMiobaptus and the palaelodids share several features in thehumerus andcoracoid. Therefore whileMiobaptus is similar toTachybaptus there are some differences and any similarity between the two is likely due toplesiomorphic features.[3]
M. walteri is known from theAquitanian stage of theMiocene whileM. huzhiricus is from the boundary line between theBurdigalian andLanghian stages. The presence of this genus in both Europe and Asia at this time is significant as it shows at this time grebes were already spreading across the globe, as well as how the avifaunas were being established to their present in Eurasia. Based on their anatomy it shows thatMiobaptus was much better capable at flying than modern grebes (though it was not as specialized in being aquatic).[3]
