Eocoracias
Extinct genus of birds
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eocoracias is an extinct genus of bird related to modern rollers and other Coraciiformes such as kingfishers, bee-eaters, motmots, and todies. It contains one species, Eocoracias brachyptera, and it lived approximately 47 million years ago (Lutetian stage) based on dating of the fossil site.[1] It is known for a specimen having preserved non-iridescent structural coloration on its feathers, previously unknown in fossil birds.[2] Fossils have been found at the Messel Pit in Germany.[3]
| Eocoracias Temporal range: Eocene, | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Fossil specimen | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Coraciiformes |
| Family: | †Eocoraciidae Mayr & Mourer-Chauviré, 2000 |
| Genus: | †Eocoracias Mayr & Mourer-Chauviré, 2000 |
| Species: | †E. brachyptera |
| Binomial name | |
| †Eocoracias brachyptera Mayr & Mourer-Chauviré, 2000 | |
