Vanellus fossil map
Where fossils of Vanellus 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 | 15.98 million years ago to the present (Langhian to Holocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Charadriidae |
| Named by | Brisson 1760 |
| Fossil records | 8 occurrences at 7 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United Kingdom, Madagascar, Italy, Belgium, Australia |
| Rock formations | txn:39584, Sables d'Anvers, Tirari |
About Vanellus
Vanellus is the genus of waders which provisionally contains all lapwings except red-kneed dotterel, Erythrogonys cinctus. The name "vanellus" is Latin for "little fan", vanellus being the diminutive of vannus ("winnowing fan"). The name is in reference to the sound lapwings' wings make in flight.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Vanellus (revision 1379761414), 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: Q13426919.
