Pindai Cave, Nepoui Peninsula (Holocene of New Caledonia)

Also known as Pindaï Caves, Grande Terre

Where: New Caledonia (21.3° S, 165.0° E: paleocoordinates 21.3° S, 165.0° E)

• coordinate stated in text

• outcrop-level geographic resolution

When: Holocene (0.0 - 0.0 Ma)

• Bone accumulations were found at two sites near lateral exits now filled by unstratified sediment. Bones occurred from the surface to depths of about 1.5 m, where excavation was discontinued. Charcoal obtained at a depth of about 50 cm, in direct association with bones of Sylviornis and other extinct birds, gave a radiocarbon age of 1750 ± 70 years BP (Gif. 6341 [CNRS laboratory at Gif sur Yvette, France], Balouet, 1984a).

Environment/lithology: cave; unlithified, phosphatic claystone

• The deposits in the main Pindai Cave probably accumulated at the bottom of an underground lake that formerly filled the cave
• The sediments in the main part of the cave consist of phosphates and magnesic clay with several intercalated layers of gypsum (2-10 cm deep) that were deposited during dry periods when the cave was not flooded.

Size class: macrofossils

Preservation: original carbon

Reposited in the MNHN

Primary reference: J.-C. Balouet and E. Buffetaut. 1987. Mekosuchus inexpectatus, n. g., n. sp., Crocodilien nouveau de l'Holocene de Nouvelle Caledonie [Mekosuchus inexpectatus, n.g., n.sp., a new Holocene crocdilian from New Caledonia]. Comptes Rendus de l'Academie des Sciences. Serie II 304(14):853-856 [J. Alroy/R. Whatley/P. Mannion]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 13221: authorized by John Alroy, entered by Robin Whatley on 29.01.2002, edited by Evangelos Vlachos and Matthew Clapham

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

unclassified
  -
Reptilia
 Testudinata - Meiolaniidae
Meiolaniidae indet.3 Lydekker 1887 turtle
MNHN NCP 05, seventh cervical
 Crocodylia -
Mekosuchus inexpectatus n. gen. n. sp.
Mekosuchus inexpectatus n. gen. n. sp. Balouet and Buffetaut 1987 crocodilian
Aves
 Charadriiformes - Turnicidae
"Turnix varia" = Turnix varius2
"Turnix varia" = Turnix varius2 Lathum 1802 painted buttonquail
ssp. novaecaledoniae
 Falconiformes - Falconidae
Falco peregrinus2 Tunstall 1771 Peregrine falcon
 Accipitriformes - Accipitridae
Accipiter efficax n. sp.2 Balouet and Olson 1989 hawk
Accipiter quartus n. sp.2 Balouet and Olson 1989 hawk
 Caprimulgiformes - Apodidae
Collocalia esculenta2, "Collocalia spodiopygia" = Aerodramus spodiopygius2
Collocalia esculenta2 Linnaeus 1758 glossy swiftlet
"Collocalia spodiopygia" = Aerodramus spodiopygius2 Peale 1848 white-rumped swiftlet
 Columbiformes - Columbidae
Drepanoptila holosericea2 Temminck 1809 cloven-feathered dove
Columba vitiensis2 Quoy and Gaimard 1830 metallic pigeon
Gallicolumba longitarsus n. sp.2 Balouet and Olson 1989 dove
Caloenas canacorum n. sp.2 Balouet and Olson 1989 dove
 Cuculiformes - Cuculidae
Urodynamis taitensis2 Sparrman 1787 long-tailed koel
 Strigiformes - Strigidae
Ninox cf. novaeseelandiae2 Gmelin 1788 southern boobook
 Strigiformes - Tytonidae
Tyto alba2 Scopoli 1769 barn owl
 Gruiformes - Rallidae
Gallirallus philippensis2 Linnaeus 1766 buff-banded rail
"Tricholimnas lafresnayanus" = Gallirallus lafresnayanus2 Verreaux and des Murs 1860 New Caledonian rail
Porphyrio melanotus1 Temminck 1820 Australasian swamphen
Porphyrio kukwiedei n. sp.2 Balouet and Olson 1989 New Caledonia gallinule
Gallinula cf. tenebrosa2 Gould 1846 dusky moorhen
 Anseriformes - Anatidae
Anas gracilis2 Buller 1869 gray teal
 Neornithes - Sylviornithidae
Sylviornis neocaledoniae2 Poplin 1980 bird
 Procellariiformes - Procellariidae
"Pterodroma rostrata" = Pseudobulweria rostrata2
"Pterodroma rostrata" = Pseudobulweria rostrata2 Peale 1848 Tahiti petrel
 Eurypygiformes - Rhynochetidae
Rhynochetos orarius n. sp.2 Balouet and Olson 1989 lowland kagu
 Galliformes - Megapodiidae
Megapodius molistructor n. sp.2 Balouet and Olson 1989 pile-builder megapode