Cyrtonyx fossil map
Where fossils of Cyrtonyx have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 0 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 0 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 | 18.5 million years ago to the present (Burdigalian to Holocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Odontophoridae |
| Named by | Gould 1844 |
| Fossil records | 5 occurrences at 5 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, Mexico |
| Rock formations | txn:67353, Barstow, Sheep Creek |
About Cyrtonyx
Cyrtonyx is a bird genus in the New World quail family Odontophoridae.
The genus Cyrtonyx was introduced in 1844 by the English ornithologist and bird artist John Gould. The name combines the Ancient Greek kurtos meaning "curved" and onux meaning "nail" or "claw". The type species is the Montezuma quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae).
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Cyrtonyx (revision 1379733873), 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: Q388322.
