Plesiocathartes fossil map
Where fossils of Plesiocathartes have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 45 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 45 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 | 56–27.3 million years ago (Ypresian to Rupelian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Named by | Gaillard 1908 |
| Fossil records | 4 occurrences at 4 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | France, Belgium, Germany, United Kingdom |
| Rock formations | txn:NF, Tielt, Messel, London Clay |
About Plesiocathartes
Plesiocathartes is an extinct genus of birds that lived during the Eocene to Oligocene period. It currently presents 5 species from Europe and North America. It was originally described related to New World vultures, but recent studies have uncovered that the genus was more closely related to the cuckoo-roller from Madagascar.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Plesiocathartes (revision 1344246599), 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: Q16688774.
