Australlus fossil map
Where fossils of Australlus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 15 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 15 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Prehistoric birds |
|---|---|
| Lived | 27.3–5.333 million years ago (Chattian to Messinian) |
| Periods | Paleogene, Neogene |
| Family | Rallidae |
| Named by | Worthy and Boles 2011 |
| Fossil records | 5 occurrences at 4 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Australia |
| Rock formations | txn:39513, Carl Creek Limestone |
About Australlus
Australlus is an extinct genus of birds in the rail family. It was described from a series of Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene fossil material found at Riversleigh in north-western Queensland, Australia. The genus was erected following reassessment of the relationships of the previously described species Gallinula disneyi Boles 2005 when new material became available. The genus name comes from the Latin australis (“southern”), and rallus (“rail”). It contains two described flightless species:
A. disneyi (Boles, 2005) Worthy & Boles, 2011 (type species)
A. gagensis Worthy & Boles, 2011
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Australlus (revision 1271517172), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q16835678.
