| Cousteauvia | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Genus: | †Cousteauvia Nikita V. Zelenkov, 2020 |
| Species: | †C. kustovia |
| Binomial name | |
| †Cousteauvia kustovia Nikita V. Zelenkov, 2020 | |
Cousteauvia is an extinct genus ofdiving duck. It contains a single species,Cousteauvia kustovia. The species is the earliest known diving duck, having been recovered fromPriabonian deposits. It was discovered in EastKazakhstan byRussian paleontologist Nikita Zelenkov in 2020.[1]
The genus nameCousteauvia of this species is named, in honor fromFrench explorer,Jacques Cousteau. Meanwhile, its species name Kustov was taken from Kusto Svita, the place where it was discovered by Nikita Zelenkov.[1]
The bones discovered by Nikita Zelenkov was atarsometatarsus, it is high and has only two pronounced crests bordering one medial canal (for the tendon of m. flexor dig-itorum longus) together with a plantarly located sulcus. This structure of the hypotarsus is definitively more derived than in Anhimidae and fossil Presbyornithidae, which have only one medial sulcus.
Based on the thick bone walls ofCousteauvia, it may have been a specialized diver. Also, based on the remains.Cousteauvia was a quick and also imperfect swimmer as compared with the modernducks of today. Its diet consists of small aquatic prey.[1]
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