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Cousteauvia
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Anseriformes
Genus:	†Cousteauvia Nikita V. Zelenkov, 2020
Species:	†C. kustovia
Binomial name
†Cousteauvia kustovia Nikita V. Zelenkov, 2020

Cousteauvia is an extinct genus of diving duck. It contains a single species, Cousteauvia kustovia. The species is the earliest known diving duck, having been recovered from Priabonian deposits. It was discovered in East Kazakhstan by Russian paleontologist Nikita Zelenkov in 2020.

Etymology

The genus name Cousteauvia of this species is named, in honor from French explorer, Jacques Cousteau. Meanwhile, its species name Kustov was taken from Kusto Svita, the place where it was discovered by Nikita Zelenkov.

Description

The bones discovered by Nikita Zelenkov was a tarsometatarsus, it is high and has only two pronounced crests bordering one medial canal (for the tendon of m. flexor dig-itorum longus) together with a plantarly located sulcus. This structure of the hypotarsus is definitively more derived than in Anhimidae and fossil Presbyornithidae, which have only one medial sulcus.

Ecology

Based on the thick bone walls of Cousteauvia, it may have been a specialized diver. Also, based on the remains. Cousteauvia was a quick and also imperfect swimmer as compared with the modern ducks of today. Its diet consists of small aquatic prey.

References

1. ^ Zelenkov, Nikita (2020). "The oldest diving anseriform bird from the late Eocene of Kazakhstan and the evolution of aquatic adaptations in the intertarsal joint of waterfowl" (PDF). Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 65. doi:10.4202/app.00764.2020. ISSN 0567-7920. S2CID 229377144. Text was copied from this source, which is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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

• Anseriformes
• Prehistoric bird genera
• Eocene life