Worthy, T.Worthy, J.Tennyson, A.Scofield, R.2016-03-102016-03-102013Paleontological Journal, 2013; 47(11):1331-13430031-03011555-6174http://hdl.handle.net/2440/97946First online: 19 December 2013Herons (Aves: Ardeidae) are rare in the fossil record globally. Fossil taxa referred to Ardeinae and Nycticoracini are known from as early as the early Oligocene and ardeids undetermined to subfamily include some as old as the early Eocene. In Australasia, the pre-Pliocene record is restricted to one species from the early Miocene of New Zealand. On the basis of a tarsometatarsus and a coracoid we describe a new species of bittern (Ardeidae: Botaurinae) from the St Bathans Fauna, of early Miocene age, from Otago, New Zealand. This is only the third and the oldest pre-Quaternary record for Botaurinae globally.en© Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2013Fossil heron; bittern; Ardeidae; St Bathans Fauna; early MioceneJournal article003004247410.1134/S003103011311015400032885920001286386