Paracathartes howardae
By Scott Reid on @drawingwithdinosaurs
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Name: Paracathartes howardae
Status: Extinct
First Described: 1979
Described By: Harrison
Classification: Dinosauria, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Palaeognathae, Lithornithidae
Paracathartes is a Lithornithid known from the Willwood Formation of Wyoming, living on the Paleocene to Eocene boundary, around 57 to 55 million years ago, from the Thanetian to the Ypresian. It actually was probably buried in a volcanic eruption, and lived alongside other dinosaurs such as Gastornis, a possible early Terror Bird, and Neocathartes. Paracathartes itself was originally thought to be a vulture type of animal (hence the -cathartes) but was eventually found to be a Lithornithid. It is known from multiple individuals, including five that were fossilized together and probably died together, along with three eggs. It was about the size of a turkey, making it one of the largest known Lithornithids. In being so big, it actually resembles later ratites more than other Lithornithids did, indicating that it might have been more of a ground-dwelling Lithornithid, and not as good as flying. In fact, it may be an intermediate step - if Lithornithids are actually a “grade” of Palaeognaths leading up to ratites, then it could show an intermediate evolutionary form between flying “Lithornithids” and the flightless large ratites. If Lithornithids are a self-contained group, as currently thought, then Paracathartes is an interesting case in convergent evolution.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willwood_Formation
Mayr, G. 2009. Paleogene Fossil Birds. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracathartes