title: Paleognathous carinate birds from the early tertiary of north america.
abstract: Fossils newly discovered in the Paleocene and early Eocene of western North America document some of the oldest birds known from nearly complete skeletons. These were medium-sized carinates with powers of sustained flight but which had a paleognathous palate like that of the flightless ostrich-like birds and the tinamous. The fossils provide additional evidence that the paleognathous palate is probably primitive and therefore should not be cited as a derived character state to define the ostrich-like birds as a monophyletic group.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Houde
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Olson