Protoplotus fossil map
Where fossils of Protoplotus 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 | 66–33.9 million years ago (Danian to Priabonian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Family | Protoplotidae |
| Named by | Lambrecht 1931 |
| Fossil records | 1 occurrences at 1 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Indonesia |
| Rock formations | txn:264919 |
About Protoplotus
Protoplotus (meaning "original Plotus") is an extinct genus of waterbird that inhabited Indonesia during the early-mid Cenozoic, most likely during the Eocene. It contains a single species, P. beauforti (named after Lieven Ferdinand de Beaufort) known from a largely complete, well-preserved skeleton from the Sangkarewang Formation of Indonesia. It is the only member of the family Protoplotidae and, depending on age, one of the earliest known Suliformes.
Protoplotus was a rather small waterbird that inhabited the freshwater rift lake where the Sangkarewang Formation would be deposited. It closely resembled and likely had a similar lifestyle to modern cormorants and darters, and for a while was considered to belong to the Anhingidae. However, more recent studies have found it to be distinct from both, and it is now placed in its own family, which is thought to be related to both cormorants and anhingas.
Uniquely, the single fossil skeleton of Protoplotus preserves gastroliths. This suggests that it may have seasonally switched its diet from fish to fruit.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Protoplotus (revision 1379910729), 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: Q84236712.
