Paracrax fossil map
Where fossils of Paracrax have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 30 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 30 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 | 31.8–29.5 million years ago (Rupelian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Family | Bathornithidae |
| Named by | Brodkorb 1964 |
| Fossil records | 3 occurrences at 2 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States |
| Rock formations | Brule |
About Paracrax
Paracrax ("near curassow") is a genus of extinct North American flightless birds, possibly related to modern seriemas and the extinct terror birds. Part of Bathornithidae (though some analysis recover it as closer to the living seriemas instead, or possibly entirely out of Cariamiformes), it is a specialised member of this group, being cursorial carnivores much like their South American cousins, some species attaining massive sizes.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Paracrax (revision 1376872954), 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: Q24259259.
