Paraphysornis fossil map
Where fossils of Paraphysornis 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 | 27.3–23.04 million years ago (Chattian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Family | Phorusrhacidae |
| Named by | Alvarenga 1993 |
| Fossil records | 1 occurrences at 1 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Brazil |
| Rock formations | Tremembé |
About Paraphysornis
Paraphysornis (meaning "near Physornis") is an extinct genus of phorusrhacid ("terror bird"), an extinct group of predatory, typically large and flightless birds. It lived during the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene (around 23 million years ago) in what is now southern Brazil. It is known from a single, nearly complete skeleton that was unearthed between 1977 and 1978. In 1982, Brazilian paleontologist Herculano Alvarenga described the skeleton as coming from a new species of Physornis.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Paraphysornis (revision 1381388495), 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: Q761582.
