The late Oligocene birds of the Créchy quarry (Allier, France), with a description of two new genera (Aves: Pelecaniformes: Phalacrocoracidae, and Anseriformes: Anseranatidae)

The late Oligocene birds of the Crechy quarry (Allier, France) with a description of two new genera (Aves: Pelecaniformes: Phalacrocoracidae, and Anseriformes: Anseranatidae). The Crechy quarry includes several fossiliferous layers, the fauna of which has been dated by micromammals to the latest Oligocene (reference-levels MP 29 and MP 30). Most of the birds belong to the same species as those which are widespread in the early Miocene localities (MN 2a) of the Saint-Gerand-le-Puy area. However, they differ from these Miocene avifaunas by the presence of a primitive form of Phalacrocoracidae,Borvocarbo guilloti n. gen. n. sp., and by a small representative of the Recent family Anseranatidae,Anserpica kiliani n. gen. n. sp. Most of these forms are aquatic birds which probably lived on lakes or on their shores.