A Revision of C. W. De Vis' Fossil Cormorants (Aves: Phalacrocoracidae)

C.W. De Vis named two species of fossil cormorant, Phalacrocorax gregorii and P. vetustus, from Pleistocene deposits at Cooper Creek and Warburton River, Australia, based on specimens mainly collected by J.W. Gregory in 1901-1902. The material of each nominal species consists of extensive, syntypic series of mixed elements. It was subsequently regarded that each series comprised specimens from several living species. One of these species, P. fuscescens, is an exclusively marine species, raising questions about its purported presence in central Australian deposits. Re-examination of the fossil material confirms that all specimens complete enough for identification can be referred to either of two living species, P. carbo or P. varius, or occasionally the Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae. There is no unequivocal evidence of the occurrence of P. fuscescens. Selections of lectotypes are made to synonymize P. gregorii with P. carbo and P. vetustus with P. varius.