Knowra Gastornis Gastornis Gastornis is an extinct genus of large, flightless birds that lived in Europe and North America from the Paleocene to the Eocene. Its massive beak and uncertain diet have shaped debate over its ecology.
Paleocene : The geological epoch following the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction, spanning about 66 to 56 million years ago. Gastornis first appeared during this epoch, amid mammalian and avian diversification.
Stable isotope analysis : A method that uses isotope ratios in materials to investigate diet, movement, or environmental conditions. Isotope evidence from Gastornis bones helped test whether it ate plants or animals.
Edouard Lartet : A French geologist and paleontologist who studied fossil mammals and birds in the nineteenth century. Lartet named Gastornis after fossils discovered near Meudon, France.
Gastornis diet : The unresolved question of which foods Gastornis consumed, including plants, animals, or both. Its beak once suggested predation, while other evidence supports herbivory.
Eocene : The geological epoch from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago, marked by warm climates and major mammal diversification. Gastornis persisted into this epoch, when its range included parts of Europe and North America.
Gastornis beak : The large, deep beak of Gastornis, preserved in fossil skull material. Its robust shape prompted competing interpretations of feeding behavior.
Gastornis parisiensis : The type species of Gastornis, named from Paleocene fossils found near Paris. This species anchors the genus name and its European fossil record.
Herbivory : A feeding strategy in which an animal consumes plants or algae. Plant-eating is a leading alternative to the traditional predator interpretation of Gastornis.
Paleogene : The geological period from about 66 to 23 million years ago, comprising the Paleocene, Eocene, and Oligocene epochs. This period contains the full known geological span of Gastornis.
Gastornis leg bones : The fossilized limb bones of Gastornis, which provide evidence about its size and locomotion. Leg proportions help assess how the flightless bird moved on land.
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