Buteogallus borrasi Temporal range: Pleistocene-Early Holocene
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Accipitriformes |
Family: | Accipitridae |
Genus: | Buteogallus |
Species: | †B. borrasi
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Binomial name | |
†Buteogallus borrasi (Arredondo, 1970)
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Synonyms | |
Aquila borrasi (Arredondo, 1970) |
Buteogallus borrasi is a species of giant buteonine hawk which went extinct in the early Holocene. Formerly endemic to Cuba, this huge bird of prey probably fed on Pleistocene megafauna. Little is known about its appearance and ecology, so no common name has been given.
Because of its eagle-like size, it was originally assigned to Aquila borrasi. In 1982 the new binomial name Titanohierax borrasi was suggested; Aquila borrasi was found valid again in 2004. A 2007 study earned it its current classification and found close similarities to the extant great black hawk (Buteogallus urubitinga).