# Notochen

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Extinct genus of birds

Notochen Temporal range: early Miocene, 19–16 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae Genus: †Notochen Worthy et al., 2022 Species: †N. bannockburnensis Binomial name †Notochen bannockburnensis Worthy et al., 2022

***Notochen*** (meaning "southern [goose](/source/Goose)"), also called the **Bannockburn swan**, is an extinct genus of [anatid](/source/Anatid) bird from the [Early Miocene](/source/Early_Miocene) [Bannockburn Formation](/source/Bannockburn_Formation) of [Otago](/source/Otago), [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand). The genus contains a single species, ***Notochen bannockburnensis***, known from various fossil material.[1]

## Discovery and naming

*Notochen* [type locality](/source/Type_locality_(biology)) near [Otago](/source/Otago), [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand)

The *Notochen* [holotype](/source/Holotype) specimen, [CM](/source/Canterbury_Museum%2C_Christchurch) 2017.37.919, was discovered in the [Bannockburn Formation](/source/Bannockburn_Formation) ([Manuherikia Group](/source/Manuherikia_Group)) near [St Bathans](/source/St_Bathans), Otago, New Zealand. This specimen consists of the distal right [humerus](/source/Humerus). Additional specimens, consisting of fragmentary [coracoids](/source/Coracoids) and a proximal part of the right shaft of a humerus, were also referred to *Notochen*.[1]

In 2022, [Worthy](/source/Trevor_Worthy) *et al*. [described](/source/Species_description) *Notochen bannockburnensis*, a new genus and species of antatid, based on these fossil remains. The [generic name](/source/Genus), "*Notochen*", combines the [Greek](/source/Greek_language) words "notios", meaning southern, and "chen," meaning "goose". The [specific name](/source/Specific_name_(zoology)), "*bannockburnensis*", refers to the [geologic formation](/source/Geologic_formation) from which the fossils were recovered. *Notochen* represents the eighth anatid named from the [St Bathans Fauna](/source/St_Bathans_Fauna).[1]

## Description

The describing authors concluded that *Notochen* would have had a body size comparable to [extant](/source/Neontology) [swans](/source/Swan). Along with the coeval *[Miotadorna](/source/Miotadorna)*, *Notochen* would have likely been a [terrestrial grazer](/source/Terrestrial_animal), while other anatids from the locality were mainly aquatic herbivores with diving and swimming adaptations.[1]

## Classification

While the describing authors could not confidently refer *Notochen* to either [Cygnini](/source/Cygnini) (swans) or [Anserini](/source/Anserini) (geese), they note that the proportions and large size of the fossil material suggest a more likely affinity to Cygnini.[1]

## See also

- [List of bird species described in the 2020s](/source/List_of_bird_species_described_in_the_2020s)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Notochen_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Notochen_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Notochen_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Notochen_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Notochen_1-4) Worthy, Trevor H.; Scofield, R. Paul; Hand, Suzanne J.; De Pietri, Vanesa L.; Archer, Michael (2022-07-20). ["A swan-sized fossil anatid (Aves: Anatidae) from the early Miocene St Bathans Fauna of New Zealand"](https://mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5168.1.3). *[Zootaxa](/source/Zootaxa)*. **5168** (1): 39–50. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.11646/zootaxa.5168.1.3](https://doi.org/10.11646%2Fzootaxa.5168.1.3). [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[1959.4/unsworks_80890](https://hdl.handle.net/1959.4%2Funsworks_80890). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1175-5334](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1175-5334). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [36101302](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36101302). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [250940807](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:250940807).

v t e Genera of waterfowl and their extinct allies Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Clade: Neognathae Superorder: Galloanserae Avemetatarsalia see Avemetatarsalia Theropoda see Theropoda Maniraptora see Maniraptora Anserimorphae see below↓ Anserimorphae Anserimorphae †Conflicto †Gastornis? †Dromornithidae? †Pelagornithidae? †Vegaviidae? †Presbyornithidae Bumbalavis Headonornis? Murgonornis Presbyornis Proherodius Telmabates Teviornis Wilaru †Anachronornithidae Anachronornis Danielsavis? Anseriformes sensu stricto †Agnopterus? †Eonessa †"Headonornis"? †Naranbulagornis †Paakniwatavis †Palaeopapia †Peioa †Petropluvialis? †Proherodius? †Wunketru Anhimae †Chaunoides Anhimidae Anhima †Chainkanas Chauna Anseres Anseranatoidea †Anatalavis? Anseranatidae Anseranas †Anserpica †Eoanseranas Anatoidea †Paranyrocidae Paranyroca Anatidae See below ↓ Anatidae Anatidae †Aldabranas? †Allgoviachen †Ankonetta? †Awengkere †Bambolinetta? †Caerulonettion †Cayaoa? †Chelychelynechen? †Cousteauvia †Eonerornis? †Eutelornis? †Garganornis? †Helonetta? †Heteroanser? †Lavanttalornis †Loxornis? †Mioquerquedula? †Nogusunna? †Notochen †Proanser? †Protomelanitta? †Ptaiochen? †Selenonetta †Sharganetta? †Sinanas? †Tagayanetta †Talpanas? †Teleornis? †Thambetochen? †Wasonaka? †Romainvillinae Paracygnopterus Romainvillia Saintandrea Dendrocygninae Dendrocygna Thalassornis †Dendrocheninae Dendrochen Manuherikia Mionetta Stictonettinae Stictonetta Anserinae †Afrocygnus †Annakacygna Anser †Anserobranta †Asiavis †Bonibernicla Branta Cereopsis †"Chenopis" †Cnemiornis Coscoroba †Cygnavus Cygnus †Cygnopterus †Eremochen †Megalodytes †Paracygnus †Presbychen Tadorninae Alopochen †Australotadorna †Brantadorna Cairina †Centrornis Chloephaga Cyanochen Hymenolaimus †Kaikenia Merganetta †Miotadorna †Nannonetta Neochen Plectropterus †Pleistoanser Radjah Sarkidiornis Tachyeres Tadorna †Tamtamia Anatinae Aix Amazonetta †Anabernicula Asarcornis Biziura Callonetta †Chenoanas? Chenonetta †Dunstanetta †Eoneornis? †Lavadytis Lophonetta Malacorhynchus Marmaronetta Netta Nettapus †Pinpanetta Pteronetta †?Rhodonessa Salvadorina Speculanas Oxyurini Heteronetta Nomonyx Oxyura †Tirarinetta Mergini Bucephala †Camptorhynchus †Chendytes Clangula Histrionicus Lophodytes Melanitta Mergellus Mergus Polysticta †Shiriyanetta Somateria Anatini Anas Mareca †Matanas Sibirionetta Spatula Aythyini Aythya

Taxon identifiers Notochen Wikidata: Q113281787 GBIF: 11749486 IRMNG: 11925141

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