Redescription of Tyto sanctialbani Lydekker, 1893 (Aves, Strigiformes), from its type locality of La Grive-Saint-Alban (Middle Miocene, France)

International audienceA redescription of the bones of Tyto sanctialbani from its type locality of LaGrive-Saint-Alban (Isere, France) is presented. Tyto sanctialbani is the oldest species of the genus Tyto known so far, and the possible ancestor of the succeeding European taxa. Tyto sanctialbani is reported from Miocene localities in France and elsewhere in Europe and is cited as a well-known species, although it has never been described in detail. This work is based on morphological description of the type series in the Natural History Museum, London, with the selection of a lectotype and paralectotypes. In addition, we describe other fossil bones from La Grive-Saint-Alban housed in the Natural History Museum, London, in the Museum d'Histoire Naturelle, Lyon, and in the Faculte des Sciences de Lyon (= Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne), France. The detailed morphology of all the major long bones of Tyto sanctialbani, some of them previously unknown for this species, is presented. Tyto sanctialbani is compared with all the European fossil species of the genus, and in detail with the extant Tyto alba, the species that is closest in size. The validity of Tyto campiterrae is discussed and confirmed, whereas Miocene records of T. balearica should be considered as invali