New fossil records of pelicans (Aves: Pelicanidae) from New Zealand: Tuhinga 13

Tuhinga 13: 39 - 44

ABSTRACT: A cervical vertebra and a mandibular found 68 years apart in Late Holocene sand dunes at Tokerau Beach, Northland, and a left fibula from an archaeological site at Paremata near Wellington belong to a species of pelican (Pelecanus sp.) and are new geographic records for pelicans in the New Zealand fossil avifauna. These bones represent at least the ninth and tenth individual pelicans from New Zealand fossil and archaeological sites, and the seventh and eighth from the North Island. Previous records from New Zealand are reviewed. Many pelican bones from New Zealand, including the new finds, seem to be within the size-range of Australian bones of Pelecanus conspicillatus. While it is possible that pelican remains in New Zealand represent an endemic form (P. novazealandiae), it is more probable that they represent stragglers of P. conspicillatus from Australia.

KEYWORDS: Pelican, Pelicanus, Holocene fossils, new records, distribution, New Zealand.

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