Proardey ( Latin Proardea , literally - “before the heron”) is an extinct genus of the heron family (Ardeidae), one of the most characteristic near-water birds [1] . This genus includes only one species - Proardea amissa (the specific name in Latin means “lost”). It is known for the rare fragmentary fossils found in the French locality of Quercy . The remains, whose age is known with good accuracy, come from the Pesh-Dess deposit, timed to the late Oligocene epoch . However, the holotype (representing only the right margin , designated MNHN QU-15720), is not exactly dated [2] and may be about 10 million years older (late Eocene ). Stardey is one of the earliest known herons [3] [4] .
| † trader |
Reconstruction of flying proardei from BECM |
| Scientific classification |
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| No rank : | Bilateral symmetric |
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| International scientific name |
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Proardea Lambrecht , 1933 |
| Single species |
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- Proardea amissa Milne-Edwards , 1892
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Stardei apparently was closely related to real herons, in particular, the great white heron and other members of the subfamily Ardeinae . Since this group exists only from the Miocene , it is possible that the pro-archaea is their direct ancestor. In the Miocene, the genus Proardeola existed , which was close or even synonymous to proardee [2] [4] ; perhaps its appearance as Proardeola walkeri should be renamed Proardea walkeri, or it should be recognized that it is identical with P. amissa . The bird, described in 1871 as Ardea aurelianensis , can also be synonymous with P. amissa ; if so, then P. amissa will be called Proardea aurelianensis . Other species described in the genus Proardea , P. perplexa and P. similis, are recognized as synonyms for the ibis species Geronticus perplexus and the representative of pheasant Miogallus altus, respectively [2] .
She lived in Europe , from 35 to 15 million years ago (if we refer to the genus Miocene forms and consider the Upper Eocene holotype). It was a medium-sized bird, in appearance very similar to modern herons. Her height reached 70 centimeters . Probably, her way of life was the same as that of modern herons: she lived along the banks of water bodies , and fed on small aquatic vertebrates , such as salamanders , frogs and fish . The tactics of her hunt were as follows: at first she was passing through shallow water on her long legs, then looked out for an unwary victim, sharply straightened her long neck and grabbed her with her strong straight beak [1] .
