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Class Aves
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae

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Chendytes sp.—Flightless Sea DucksRegional Pleistocene distribution of Chendytes sp.

Sites.

Rancholabrean: Fourth and Mesa streets, San Pedro (Jefferson 1991b); West Coyote Oil Field (Jefferson 1991a).

Sangamon: Fourth and Mesa, San Pedro (Jefferson 1991a); General MacArthur Blvd. (Jefferson 1991a); U. S. Veterans Hospital, Long Beach (Jefferson 1991b).

Wisconsin: Zuma Creek (Jefferson 1991a).

Literature. Jefferson 1991a.

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Chendytes lawi L. Miller 1925—Law's Flightless Sea DuckRegional Pleistocene distribution of Chendytes lawi

This is a large duck about the size of a Canadian Goose (Miller 1925). The type, from Long Wharf Canyon, is a tibiotarsus; a tarsometatarsus was associated (Miller 1925). It eventually became clear that Chendytes was flightless, with greatly reduced wing elements (Howard 1947).

The duck survived into the late Holocene (between 2 and 3 kya); remains in a number of Indian middens indicate exploitation by humans, eventually resulting in extinction (Jones et al. 2008).

Sites.

?Late Irvingtonian/Rancholabrean: Emery Borrow Pit (Jefferson 1991a).

Rancholabrean: Anacapa Island (Jefferson 1991a); San Pedro Lumber Yard (Jefferson 1991a).

Sangamon: Bixby Slough (Jefferson 1991a); Chandler Gravel Pit (Jefferson 1991a); Lincoln Ave (Howard 1936); Long Wharf Canyon (Jefferson 1991a); Pacific Ave. and Second (Jefferson 1991a); San Pedro Lumber Co. (Jefferson 1991a); U. S. Veterans Hospital, Long Beach (Jefferson 1991a).

Mid/late Wisconsin: San Miguel Island (Guthrie 1998).

Literature. Guthrie 1998; Howard 1936, 1947; Jefferson 1991a; Jones et al. 2008; Miller 1925.

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Chendytes milleri Howard 1955—Miller's Flightless Sea DuckRegional Pleistocene distribution of Chendytes milleri

The type locality is described as "top of bluff on north side of San Nicolas Island, S 47° W of Coney Point; altitude approximately 400 feet. Lower Pleistocene." The holotype is a humerus, but some 70 elements have been collected (Howard 1955).

When compared to Chendytes lawi, "C. milleri appears to represent a developmental stage between a flying, scoter-like ancestor and the flightless C. lawi". Howard (1955) speculated that C. milleri may represent an evolutionary stage in the development of C. lawi.

Sites.

Rancholabrean: San Nicolas Island (Jefferson 1991a).

Literature. Howard 1955; Jefferson 1991a.

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Last Update: 12 Jun 2014