Explore this animal in Size of Extinct Animals ↗
542 / Cenozoic
Psilopterus
Psilopterus bachmanni
A lighter terror bird had long toes suited to rapid pursuit.
View original image · 1600 × 1067- Time range
- About 23–16 million years ago
- Final stage
- Early Miocene
- Geographic range
- Scrub and river woodland · Argentina
01 / DEFINITION & ECOLOGY
What was Psilopterus?
Psilopterus (Psilopterus bachmanni) was an extinct organism known from About 23–16 million years ago, with a range in Scrub and river woodland · Argentina.
Life and ecology
It hunted insects, lizards and small mammals and may have retained limited flapping ability.
02 / DISAPPEARANCE
Why did Psilopterus disappear?
Miocene turnover among bird and mammal predators is possible context; a specific cause is not established.
03 / EVIDENCE
How do scientists know about Psilopterus?
Skulls and skeletons show light proportions; flight and arboreality remain debated.
04 / SOURCES & FURTHER READING
Check the source record
Use the scientific name to compare taxonomy, occurrence records and the fossil record. Database coverage and classifications may differ.
05 / REVISION HISTORY
How has this record changed?
- Rewrote an extinction cause that presented environmental or faunal turnover as established; it is now given as context the record does not prove.
- Verified authoritative entity sources and added three responsive reconstruction sizes.
- Initial bilingual species record published.
06 / CORRECTIONS & ADDITIONS