THE CUBAN FOSSIL EAGLE AQUILA BORRASI ARREDONDO: A SCALED-UP VERSION OF THE GREAT BLACK-HAWK BUTEOGALLUS URUBITINGA (GMELIN)

The fossil eagle Aquila borrasi Arredondo from the Quaternary of Cuba is redescribed and transferred to the genus Buteogallus Lesson, in which it represents a gigantic version (ca. 33% larger) of the morphology present in the living Great Black-Hawk B. uruhitinga (Gmelin). Buteogallus borrasi differs from the other large fossil accipitrids recorded in the West Indies, Amplibuteo woodwardi, Gigantoliierax suarezi, and Titanoliierax gloveralleni, in being smaller, less robust, and with proportionately slender hindlimb elements, especially the tarsometatarsus. Although now known with certainty only from Cuba, B. borrasi may have had a wider distribution in the West Indies and perhaps even mainland North America.