The Pleistocene Pied-billed Grebes (Aves: Podicipedidae)

Abstract

Pleistocene specimens of pied-billed grebes ( Podilymbus) were compared with a series of skeletons of the modern North American form, Podilymbus podiceps podiceps. Most of the fossils agreed closely with this form and are allocated to it. The co-types of Podilymbus magnus Shufeldt also fall within the range of variation of this form, hence P. magnus becomes a synonym of P. podiceps. A new species, Podilymbus wetmorei, characterized by a wide tarsometatarsus and a heavy femur, is described from the Pleistocene of Florida.