Endocranial anatomy of the fossil furnariid <i>Pseudoseisura cursor</i> (Aves, Passeriformes): paleoecological perspectives and evolutionary implications
Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra (CICTERRA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales (FCEFyN), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) - Ingenieur Ismael Bordabehere y Av. Haya de la Torre, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, Argentina
Demmel Ferreira, María M. 2026. “Endocranial Anatomy of the Fossil Furnariid Pseudoseisura Cursor (Aves, Passeriformes): Paleoecological Perspectives and Evolutionary Implications”. El Hornero 41 (1). https://doi.org/10.56178/eh.v41i1.1530.
Furnariidae is a family endemic to the Neotropics and is one of the most diverse families of Passeriformes, and although it is one of the Neotropical families with the best fossil record, in Passeriformes in general the fossil record is scarce, which can make it difficult to interpret the evolution of the order in general. Pseudoseisura cursor, from the Ensenadan (Early–Middle Pleistocene) of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, is considered the sister taxon of the extant species of the genus. This study describes the endocranial anatomy of this species and compares it with that of other extant Furnariidae to infer ecological aspects. A 3D model of the endocranium (i.e., a proxy for the brain) was created from micro-CT scans obtained from the holotype, which was described and measured (linear and surface-based measurements). Its body mass and endocranial volume were calculated, as well as its auditory capacities. Compared to the Brown Cacholote(Pseudoseisura lophotes), the endocranium of P. cursor shows general similarities but presents specific differences, such as greater dorsoventral development of the Wulsts and longer olfactory bulbs and flocculi, possibly related to its ancestral condition or functional adaptations. Although P. cursor had a greater body mass relative to the Brown Cacholote, its brain was proportionally smaller, with a volume of 9.73 times its body mass (23.59 times in the Brown Cacholote), which could be linked to the trend of body size reduction in extant species and the functional modularity of the brain. Additionally, P. cursor exhibited auditory capacities similar to those of Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus) and Narrow-billed Woodcreeper(Lepidocolaptes angustirostris), possibly due to a similar habitat.
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