The Pleistocene Pied-billed Grebes (Aves: Podicipedidae)

Abstract

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