Jacob Christopher Blokland

@flinders.edu.au

PhD Candidate, Palaeontology Research group, College of Science and Engineering
Flinders University

Jacob Christopher Blokland


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https://researchid.co/jacobblokland
6

Scopus Publications

58

Scholar Citations

4

Scholar h-index

2

Scholar i10-index

Scopus Publications

  • Another case of island gigantism: the extinct Hodgens’ Waterhen (Tribonyx hodgenorum) is a member of Porzana (Aves: Rallidae)
    George Sangster, Jacob C. Blokland, Pascale Lubbe, R. Paul Scofield, Trevor H. Worthy
    Journal of Ornithology, 2026
  • Multiple exceptionally preserved fossils from the Paleocene Waipara Greensand inform the diversity of the oldest stem group Sphenisciformes and the formation of their diving adaptations
    Gerald Mayr, Vanesa L De Pietri, James Proffitt, Jacob C Blokland, Julia A Clarke, et al.
    Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2025
    We report new stem group sphenisciforms (ancestral penguins) from the Paleocene of the Waipara Greensand (Canterbury, New Zealand), and describe four new genera and species (Daniadyptes primaevus gen. et sp. nov., Waiparadyptes gracilitarsus gen. et sp. nov., Archaeodyptes waitahaorum gen. et sp. nov., Waimanutaha kenlovei gen. et sp. nov.) and a small species, which is tentatively assigned to the taxon Kupoupou. New material of Muriwaimanu tuatahi includes the first complete skull of this species. The fossils show previously unknown features of the earliest penguins, such as well-developed basipterygoid processes and a long hind toe, and for the first time gastroliths are preserved in a stem group sphenisciform. The very small D. primaevus as well as W. gracilitarsus and A. waitahaorum exhibit plesiomorphic features, which support a position outside a clade formed by M. tuatahi and more crownward taxa. The penguins from the Waipara Greensand show that during early penguin evolution selective forces mainly acted on the wing, pectoral girdle, and foot morphology, whereas the greatly elongated beak remained relatively unchanged for more than 20 Myr. Furthermore, the fossils support the New Zealand region as the centre of origin of sphenisciforms and document multiple radiations of stem group Sphenisciformes throughout the Cenozoic.
  • Skull morphology of the enigmatic Genyornis newtoni Stirling and Zeitz, 1896 (Aves, Dromornithidae), with implications for functional morphology, ecology, and evolution in the context of Galloanserae
    Phoebe L. McInerney, Jacob C. Blokland, Trevor H. Worthy
    Historical Biology, 2024
  • The Late Pleistocene and Holocene of Oceania
    Trevor H. Worthy, Phoebe L. McInerney, Jacob C. Blokland
    Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science, 2024
  • A new species of Manuherikia (Aves: Anatidae) provides evidence of faunal turnover in the St Bathans Fauna, New Zealand
    Trevor H. Worthy, R. Paul Scofield, Steven W. Salisbury, Suzanne J. Hand, Vanesa L. De Pietri, et al.
    Geobios, 2022
  • Chatham island paleocene fossils provide insight into the palaeobiology, evolution, and diversity of early penguins (Aves, sphenisciformes)
    Jacob Blokland, Catherine Reid, Trevor Worthy, Alan Tennyson, Julia Clarke, et al.
    Palaeontologia Electronica, 2019
    Numerous skeletal remains recovered in situ from the late early to middle Paleocene Takatika Grit of Chatham Island, New Zealand, are among the oldest known fossils attributed to the penguin clade (Aves, Sphenisciformes). They represent a new medium-sized taxon, for which we erect a new genus and species, and a second, notably larger form. These new penguins are analysed in a parsimony and Bayesian framework using an updated and revised phylogenetic matrix, based on morphological and molecular characters, and interpreted as among the most basal of known sphenisciforms, closely related to Waimanu. While sharing numerous characteristics with the earliest wing-propelled divers, the novel taxon records the oldest occurrence of the characteristic penguin tarsometatarsus morphology. These ancient Chatham Island representatives add to a growing number and increased morphological diversity of Paleocene penguins in the New Zealand region, suggesting an origin for the group there. With their addition to other Paleocene penguins, these taxa reveal that sphenisciforms rapidly diversified as non-volant piscivores in the southern oceans following the end-Cretaceous mass extinction. They also provide further evidence for the hypothesis that their origin predates the Paleocene. This implies that stem Sphenisciformes and their sister group, the Procellariiformes, both originated in, and so may be expected to occur in, the Late Cretaceous. Jacob C. Blokland. Biological Sciences, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park 5042, South Australia, Australia. jacob.blokland@flinders.edu.au Catherine M. Reid. School of Earth and Environment, College of Science, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand. catherine.reid@canterbury.ac.nz Trevor H. Worthy. Biological Sciences, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park 5042, South Australia, Australia. trevor.worthy@flinders.edu.au BLOKLAND ET AL.: CHATHAM ISLAND PENGUINS 2 Alan J.D. Tennyson. Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, PO Box 467, Wellington 6140, New Zealand. AlanT@tepapa.govt.nz Julia A. Clarke. Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, 2305 Speedway Stop C1160, Austin, TX 78712-1692, USA. Julia_Clarke@jsg.utexas.edu. R. Paul Scofield. Canterbury Museum, Rolleston Avenue, Christchurch 8013, New Zealand. pscofield@canterburymuseum.com

RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

  • Multiple exceptionally preserved fossils from the Paleocene Waipara Greensand inform the diversity of the oldest stem group Sphenisciformes and the formation of their diving …
    G Mayr, VL De Pietri, J Proffitt, JC Blokland, JA Clarke, L Love, ...
    Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 204 (4), zlaf080 , 2025
    2025
    Citations: 4
  • Another case of island gigantism: the extinct Hodgens’ Waterhen (Tribonyx hodgenorum) is a member of Porzana (Aves: Rallidae)
    G Sangster, JC Blokland, P Lubbe, RP Scofield, TH Worthy
    Journal of Ornithology, 1–14 , 2025
    2025
    Citations: 1
  • Skull morphology of the enigmatic Genyornis newtoni Stirling and Zeitz, 1896 (Aves, Dromornithidae), with implications for functional morphology, ecology, and evolution in the …
    PL McInerney, JC Blokland, TH Worthy
    Historical Biology 36 (6), 1093–1165 , 2024
    2024
    Citations: 6
  • Gymnocrecini, Amaurornithini and Pardirallini: three new family-group names for rails, with comments on the taxonomic placement of Zapornia akool (Rallidae)
    G Sangster, JC Blokland, SMS Gregory, EC Dickinson
    Avian Systematics 2 (4), 53–64 , 2024
    2024
  • The Late Pleistocene and Holocene of Oceania
    TH Worthy, PL McInerney, JC Blokland
    Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science, 3rd Edition, 1–20 , 2023
    2023
    Citations: 1
  • A new species of Manuherikia (Aves: Anatidae) provides evidence of faunal turnover in the St Bathans Fauna, New Zealand
    TH Worthy, RP Scofield, SW Salisbury, SJ Hand, VL De Pietri, ...
    Geobios 70, 87–107 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 25
  • Chatham Island Paleocene fossils provide insight into the palaeobiology, evolution, and diversity of early penguins (Aves, Sphenisciformes)
    JC Blokland, CM Reid, TH Worthy, AJD Tennyson, JA Clarke, RP Scofield
    Palaeontologia Electronica, 1–92 , 2019
    2019
    Citations: 21
  • Bird fossils from the Takatika Grit, Chatham Island, New Zealand.
    JC Blokland
    University of Canterbury , 2017
    2017

MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

  • A new species of Manuherikia (Aves: Anatidae) provides evidence of faunal turnover in the St Bathans Fauna, New Zealand
    TH Worthy, RP Scofield, SW Salisbury, SJ Hand, VL De Pietri, ...
    Geobios 70, 87–107 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 25
  • Chatham Island Paleocene fossils provide insight into the palaeobiology, evolution, and diversity of early penguins (Aves, Sphenisciformes)
    JC Blokland, CM Reid, TH Worthy, AJD Tennyson, JA Clarke, RP Scofield
    Palaeontologia Electronica, 1–92 , 2019
    2019
    Citations: 21
  • Skull morphology of the enigmatic Genyornis newtoni Stirling and Zeitz, 1896 (Aves, Dromornithidae), with implications for functional morphology, ecology, and evolution in the …
    PL McInerney, JC Blokland, TH Worthy
    Historical Biology 36 (6), 1093–1165 , 2024
    2024
    Citations: 6
  • Multiple exceptionally preserved fossils from the Paleocene Waipara Greensand inform the diversity of the oldest stem group Sphenisciformes and the formation of their diving …
    G Mayr, VL De Pietri, J Proffitt, JC Blokland, JA Clarke, L Love, ...
    Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 204 (4), zlaf080 , 2025
    2025
    Citations: 4
  • Another case of island gigantism: the extinct Hodgens’ Waterhen (Tribonyx hodgenorum) is a member of Porzana (Aves: Rallidae)
    G Sangster, JC Blokland, P Lubbe, RP Scofield, TH Worthy
    Journal of Ornithology, 1–14 , 2025
    2025
    Citations: 1
  • The Late Pleistocene and Holocene of Oceania
    TH Worthy, PL McInerney, JC Blokland
    Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science, 3rd Edition, 1–20 , 2023
    2023
    Citations: 1
  • Gymnocrecini, Amaurornithini and Pardirallini: three new family-group names for rails, with comments on the taxonomic placement of Zapornia akool (Rallidae)
    G Sangster, JC Blokland, SMS Gregory, EC Dickinson
    Avian Systematics 2 (4), 53–64 , 2024
    2024
  • Bird fossils from the Takatika Grit, Chatham Island, New Zealand.
    JC Blokland
    University of Canterbury , 2017
    2017