A fossil stone-curlew (Aves: Burhinidae) from the Late Oligocene/Early Miocene of South Australia

Wilaru tedfordi nov. gen. et nov. spec. is a fossil burhinid from Upper Oligocene/Lower Miocene sites in northern South Australia. Almost all specimens come from Lake Pinpa, with a few recovered from Lake Palankarinna and Billeroo Creek. Numerous specimens have been recovered, representing most elements of the pectoral girdle, forelimb and hindlimb. This is the oldest known burhinid. It shares several morphological charac- ter states with the genus Esacus and, like that taxon, had a proportionally long humerus and short tarsometatarsus, although the difference is much more pronounced. Also like species of Esacus, and in contrast to those of Burhi- nus, Wilaru may have frequented the shorelines of lakes and rivers.