Paleopsilopterus

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Extinct genus of birds

title: "Paleopsilopterus" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["phorusrhacidae", "monotypic-prehistoric-bird-genera", "extinct-flightless-birds", "eocene-birds-of-south-america", "ypresian-life", "itaboraian", "paleogene-brazil", "fossils-of-brazil", "fossil-taxa-described-in-1985"] description: "Extinct genus of birds" topic_path: "geography/brazil" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleopsilopterus" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Extinct genus of birds ::

Paleopsilopterus is an extinct genus of large, flightless, predatory birds classified within the order Cariamiformes. It is generally placed in the subfamily Psilopterinae of the family Phorusrhacidae, commonly known as "terror birds," although its precise taxonomic placement has been subject to debate.

Paleopsilopterus lived during the Early Eocene (approximately 53 to 50 million years ago), specifically within the Itaboraian South American Land Mammal Age. Fossils of the only known species, Paleopsilopterus itaboraiensis, have been discovered in the Itaboraí Formation near São José de Itaborai in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

References ==

References

(2013). ""Terror Birds" (Phorusrhacidae) from the Eocene of Europe Imply Trans-Tethys Dispersal". PLOS ONE.
(2003). "Systematic revision of the Phorusrhacidae (Aves: Ralliformes)". Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia.
[https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=181131 ''Paleopsilopterus''] at Fossilworks.org

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