\u201cOur research had prompted a rethink of our native fauna,\u201d said Canterbury Museum\u2019s Dr. Paul Scofield.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany of the species that we thought of as iconic New Zealand natives \u2014 a classic example would be the takah\u0113 \u2014 we now know are relatively recent blow-ins from Australia, arriving only a few million years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
In their research, Dr. Scofield and colleagues focused on the so-called St Bathans Fauna, a collection of more than 9,000 specimens from 33 paleontological sites or discrete sedimentary beds near the village of St Bathans, Central Otago, New Zealand\u2019s South Island.<\/p>\n
These sites, which were once at the bottom of a large prehistoric lake, offer the only significant insight into New Zealand\u2019s non-marine wildlife from 20 million years ago (Early Miocene epoch).<\/p>\n
Exotic creatures of the St Bathans Fauna include Heracles inexpectatus, a giant parrot that scientists nicknamed Squawkzilla; two mystery mammals; flamingos; a 3-m crocodile; a giant horned turtle; and a giant bat.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwenty-three years of digging at St Bathans has changed our idea about the age of the New Zealand fauna and the importance of some animals over others,\u201d Dr. Scofield said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor example, until now we thought that birds like kiwi and moa were among the oldest representatives of New Zealand fauna.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are now realizing that the k\u0101k\u0101p\u014d, tiny New Zealand wrens and bats, and even a bizarre freshwater limpet, are the real ancient New Zealand natives.\u201d<\/p>\n
The authors concludes that this menagerie of exotic animals was wiped out by dramatic temperature drops over the last about 5 million years.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe research at St Bathans had transformed our understanding of how non-marine vertebrate life in New Zealand looked around 20 million years ago during the Early Miocene era,\u201d said Flinders University\u2019s Dr. Trevor Worthy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s exciting to be involved in a project that continues to make absolutely fresh discoveries about what animals lived in New Zealand\u2019s lakes and rivers, and the forests around them, during this critical period in history.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery year we find new specimens. Finds that reveal amazing new species that we couldn\u2019t have imagined when we first started working there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe animals that lived in New Zealand 20 million years ago were very different to what we have now,\u201d said University of Canterbury\u2019s Dr. Vanesa De Pietri.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor example, we had another giant eagle that was not related to the Haast\u2019s eagle (Hieraaetus moorei).\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a whole bunch of songbirds that were quite different, crocodiles and even potentially a small mammal that we\u2019ve nicknamed the waddling mouse.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are still in the middle of our research into understanding exactly what that was.\u201d<\/p>\n
This research is described in a paper published in the journal Geobios.<\/p>\n
Trevor H. Worthy et al. A synopsis of the Early Miocene St Bathans Fauna from New Zealand. Geobios, published online August 6, 2024; doi: 10.1016\/j.geobios.2024.03.002<\/p>\n