Scolopax carmesinae n. sp. is described from late Tertiary coastal outcrops
of Punta Nati (NW Menorca, Balearic Islands). The species is known from on
e proximal fragment and one complete humerus. Estimated size is 10-20% smal
ler than living Eurasian Woodcock S. rusticola. Although osteological featu
res in the humerus are not as specialized as in modern woodcocks, resemblin
g in some aspects Gallinagininae, the general Scolopacinae conformation is
fully recognizable. Differentiation of these two subfamilies must have take
n place before the end of the Tertiary. Scolopax carmesinae n. sp. might ha
ve been the ancestor of S. rusticola. Except for the recent Nearctic form S
. minor and the fossil S. hutchensi, remaining living and fossil species of
Scalopax, which are all insular endemic forms, probably originated from se
dentary, insular populations of S. rusticola.