Vörös A. szerk.: Fragmenta Mineralogica Et Palaentologica 11. 1983. (Budapest, 1983)

FRAGMENTA MINERALOGICA et PALAEONTOLOGICA 11. 1983 p. 85-112 Humeri of Central European Smaller Passeriformes By D. JÁNOSSY (Received November 29, 1982) Abstract: Keys to identify on the specific level of the humeri of smaller Passeriformes of eastern Central Europe are given. Some taxonomical conclusions are drawn from the morphological analysis. One of the greatest problems in avian osteology is the morphological distinction of the bones of the smaller oscine Passeriformes. The small dimensions, the great number of systematical units and the few number of features on any one bone is the basis of all the difficulties. Thus, not only the distinction of species but even that of phenotypically very distinct families is often problematic. We have before us the complicated network of real evolutionary lines and the result of parallel rows in a very simplified form; in the morphological features of a single bone. Besides all the above difficulties, one has to face the fact that although during the last decades a number of orders of birds have been analysed osteologically (Anseriformes, Galliformes, Columbiformes; a part of Falconiformes and Strigiformes: BACHER 1967, WÖLFLE 1967, EBERSDOBLER 1968, KRAFT 1972, FICK 1974, LANGER 1980, OTTO 1981); the literature on the bones of Passeriformes had hiterto been very meagre chiefly because the contributions did not go into specific level (e.g. LAMBRECHT 1914, ASHLEY 1941, WETMORE 1957, BOCK 1962, BALLMANN 1973 etc. ) This situation is all the more regrettable as the demand for identification of recent, fossil and subfossil bones of members of this order is extremely great. For that reason I first embarked upon this work after an experience of several years. Because of a puzzling network of convergencies in the World material (see also BOCK 1962 and WETMORE 1957) after a short look at the skeleton collection of the British Museum (Natural History), London-Tring, I decided to elaborate only the chiefly south-eastern Central European material. Considering the fact that it is the humerus which shows the best morphological features among the bone of Passeriformes, I want to analise it in this paper and I try to give in the following pages some identification-keys and some descriptions. I have to thank in this place the help of all the colleagues who sent me comparative material for this work or helped me in other way especially G. S. COWLES, Tring; B. STEPHAN, Berlin; H. SCHIFTER, Vienna and Z. BOCHENSKI, Krakow.