''Palaeoglaux'' is a genus of fossil owls from the

Eocene The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', " ...

epoch. The two known species are ''P. perrierensis'' from the Upper Eocene of Quercy, France, and ''P. artophoron'' from the Middle Eocene Messel shales, Germany.Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile (1987) "The owls (Aves:strigiformes) of Phosphorites Du Quercy (France) systematics, biostratigraphy, and paleobiogeography" pp.89-136 in "Documents des laboratoires de geologie Lyon" Départment des Sciences de la Terre, Université Claude-Bernard Lyon 1. The holotype of ''P. perrierensis'' is a partial left

coracoid A coracoid (from Greek κόραξ, ''koraks'', raven) is a paired bone which is part of the shoulder assembly in all vertebrates except therian mammals (marsupials and placentals). In therian mammals (including humans), a coracoid process is pre ...

in the Collection Université Montpellier, accession number PRR 2585. The four paratypes are the distal part of a left humerus (PRR2591), the proximal part of a left ulna (PRR 2571), the distal part of a left ulna (PRR 2578), and the distal part of a right tarsometatarsus (PRR 2576). The type specimen of ''P. artophoron'' is a fossil slab and counterslab containing most of the postcranial skeleton and some feather impressions. This specimen is in the collection of the Forschunginstitut Senckenberg, accession number SMF-ME 1144 A and B. The feathers of ''P. artophoron'' show some unique characteristics. The feathers on the trunk are about wide and long. They appear to be membranous and ribbon-like, without barbs. This may be an artifact of preservation, but eight nearby primaries show barbs quite clearly. Peters noted that ribbon-like, elongated plumes are known from some living birds, but all are used in display. He writes that display feathers are unexpected in a

nocturnal Nocturnality is an ethology, animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnality, diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatures generally have ...

owl and wonders if this lineage of owls was, in fact, diurnal.Peters, Dieter Stefan (1992) "A new species of owl (Aves:Strigiformes) from the Middle Eocene Messel oil shale" pp. 161-169 in "Papers in Avian paleontology honoring Pierce Brodkorp" edited by Kenneth Campbell, Jr. NO. 36 Science Series Natural history Museum of Los Angeles County. Diurnal owls do, in fact, exist today, in the form of the

burrowing owl The burrowing owl (''Athene cunicularia''), also called the shoco, is a small, long-legged owl found throughout open landscapes of North and South America. Burrowing owls can be found in grasslands, rangelands, agricultural areas, deserts, or a ...

, the

northern hawk-owl The northern hawk-owl or northern hawk owl (''Surnia ulula'') is a medium-sized true owl of the northern latitudes. It is non-migratory and usually stays within its breeding range, though it sometimes irrupts southward. It is one of the few owl ...

and the

snowy owl The snowy owl (''Bubo scandiacus''), also known as the polar owl, the white owl and the Arctic owl, is a large, white owl of the true owl family. Snowy owls are native to the Arctic regions of both North America and the Palearctic, breeding mos ...

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7126418

† A dagger, obelisk, or obelus is a typographical mark that usually indicates a footnote if an asterisk has already been used. The symbol is also used to indicate death (of people) or extinction (of species). It is one of the modern descendan ...

Eocene birds Eocene genus extinctions Prehistoric birds of Europe Paleogene France Fossils of France Quercy Phosphorites Formation