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Gastornis
Click here for more Gastornis Pictures
| Scientific Classification |
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Gastornis (often known as "Diatryma")
is a genus of large flightless birds that lived from
the late Paleocene epoch to the middle Eocene epoch, between
about 56 million and 45 million years ago.
Fossils os
these birds have been found in a number of countries in
Europe,
(including
Belgium,
England,
France, and
Germany)
as well as in the
United States.
Gastornis was upto about 6½ feet (2 meters) tall, and had a huge beak
with a hooked top, and powerful legs. It is not certain what type of feathers
it had, but it is thought that it may have had hair-like feathers similar
to modern ratites.
There has been much debate about Gastornis' diet. Its beak seems to suggest
it was a predator - if this was the case it probably hunted in packs or
was an ambush hunter, since it may not have been particularly agile,
particularly since the areas in which it lived were covered with dense
forests. Alternatively, it is also possible that Gastornis
may have been a scavenger, omnivore, or even a herbivore (plant-eater).
The first
fossils
of the genus were found near
Paris,
France
by Gaston Planté in 1855 (Planté later became famous for his
achievements in physics, including inventing the lead-acid battery),
who named the bird "Gastornis" (Gaston's bird).
In the 1870s,
Edward D. Cope
found another set of
fossils in
the United States,
and named the animal "Diatryma".
When it was subsequently
realized that these were both specimens of the same animal, the
first name chosen takes priority, and hence the correct name of the animal
is in fact Gastornis.
Gastornis was a large flightless bird that lived between 56 and 45 million years ago
Related Information & Resources
See Also
Gastornis Pictures and Posters
by AllPosters
Here are some Gastornis pictures and posters:
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Gastornis Books
Here are some books from Amazon.com:
Disclosure: Products details and descriptions provided by Amazon.com. Our company may receive a payment if you purchase products from them after following a link from this website.
By Marc Zabludoff
Benchmark Books (NY)
Library Binding (32 pages)
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By Dennis Schatz
Silver Dolphin
Hardcover (32 pages)
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Totally fun, totally imaginative, and totally engaging, the newest title in the best-selling Totally series is Totally Prehistoric Beasts. This captivating activity-based book will provide children with the opportunity to learn as they take part in the world of creatures of the past. Using a hands-on approach that encourages imagination as well as factual learning, Totally Prehistoric Beasts describes life after the demise of the dinosaurs, when prehistoric creatures roamed the Earth for 65 million years. This kit will help broaden kids' understanding of prehistoric times with its 32-page book and snap together parts that make five different prehistoric beasts: Gastornis, Entelodont, Doedicurus, Simlodon, and Wooly Mammoth. Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions show how to build actual prehistoric creatures or children can create new creatures with the more than 30 included interchangeable plastic parts. Only real scientists know science can be this cool! |
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By Andrew Goldsmith
Bearport Publishing
Library Binding (32 pages)
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By DK Publishing
DK CHILDREN
Hardcover (304 pages)
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This latest edition in a range of super successful DK encyclopedias for children features hundreds of photographs and computer generated images bringing extinct animals back to life in this visual celebration of early life on Earth. Authoritative yet accessible, the book includes fact boxes, timelines, maps, and diagrams that explore the beginnings of life on Earth, investigates early eras and life forms, and examines the world of the dinosaurs...their homes, food, young, and family lives. With content that is completely up to date and includes the latest discoveries and interpretations of prehistoric life, this is a comprehensive exploration of dinosaurs during their 180 million plus years of existence. |
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By Dave Stern
Star Trek
Mass Market Paperback (384 pages)
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Ambushed in the middle of a savage civil war, forcibly removed from their ship, imprisoned and brutalised by their captors, the crew of the USS Enterprise have still greater dangers to face. Subtle biochemical differences in the universe in which they find themselves make long-term survival impossible. They must escape or die. Their situation is already bleak when, in order to recapture the Enterprise, Captain Jonathan Archer has no choice but to cripple his ship...FURTHER DESCRIPTION TO COME |
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By Gerald Mayr
Springer
Paperback (275 pages)
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The present book is the first detailed review of the Paleogene avian fossil record on a worldwide scale. Numerous well-preserved fossil bird remains from this geological period, which covers the time span from the end of the Mesozoic era to the beginning of the Miocene, have been described in the past two decades. Some of these not only provide information on morphological transformations in the evolutionary history of the extant avian taxa, but are also of great significance for an understanding of their historical biogeography. Others represent extinct taxa which sometimes show a bizarre morphology not found in modern birds, such as the giant pseudo-toothed birds which reached wingspans up to six meters. The reader is introduced to basic morphological features of the various groups which, as far as possible, are placed into a phylogenetic context in the light of current hypotheses on the interrelationships of extant birds. In a concluding chapter the biogeographical significance of Paleogene fossil birds and possible reasons for faunal changes during the Paleogene are detailed. As such, the book not only aims at providing an overview for specialists, but may also help students of other fields of vertebrate paleontology to better understand Paleogene ecosystems. |
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By TickTock Books Ltd
TickTock Books Ltd
Paperback (112 pages)
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Blending science with natural history, this exciting exploration of dangerous animals presents a thrilling topic to engage reluctant readers. Counting down creatures in four frightening categories—Dinosaur Hunters, Fearsome Ancient Creatures, World's Most Lethal Killers, and Most Feared Predators—each animal is rated according to their fierceness, hunting skills, and size. Loaded with vivid photographs and copiously illustrated, this lively reference offers accessible language and bite-sized chunks of text, allowing children to discover the deadly denizens of the animal kingdom in an entertaining way. |
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By laurent Guinard
lulu.com
Paperback (150 pages)
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Les explorateurs du carbonifËre tentent de revenir notre Èpoque, mais un incident va les obliger tomber dans une Èpoque toute aussi dangereuse : l'. . .ocËne d'il y a cinquante millions d'annÈes. Vont-ils faire face aux crÈatures fÈroces qui vivaient alors ? |
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By Tim Haines
DK Publishing
Hardcover (240 pages)
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Since the dinosaurs died out over 65 million years ago our planet has been dominated by mammals. A succession of bizarre evolutionary specimens have come and gone -- from walking whales to sabre-toothed cats -- yet many of these magnificent creatures have never been visualized before. Now, for the first time, spectacular and unfamiliar animals are recreated and set in the context of their world. Walking with Prehistoric Beasts reveals the extraordinary ancestors of modern mammals and the arrival of man, bringing to life the roots of our heritage. Following on from the hugely-acclaimed Walking with Dinosuars, Walking with Prehistoric Beasts recreates the creatures and landscapes of post-dinosaur Earth; transporting us to the icy plains of the mammoth, dark forests stalked by giant carnivorous birds, and deserts dominated by 16 ton Indricotheres. From the tiny fruit-eating primate Apidium, to the powerful chalicotheres, whose curved claws forced them to walk on their knuckles, the lives of these little known creatures are vividly brought to life. Meet the bizarre hose-nosed Macrauchenia, and the Deodicurus, a giant armadillo with a spiked club for a tail; run with cat-sized horses and rhino-sized carnivorous pigs, hunt with the skull-crushing Andrewsarchus, and walk with the very first humans. Illustrated boxes describe the latest scientific evidence that led to the reconsturctions of these creatures, while character boxes provide information on behavior and habitats. The text is illustrated throughout with ground-breaking computer graphic images to offer a unique record of lost worlds never seen before and reveal many of the most spectacular periods in Earth's history. Also available, accompanying the Walking with Prehistoric Beasts TV series, are books for children, home videos, a DVD, and a CD of the soundtrack from the series. |
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By Miles Kelly Publishing
Miles Kelly Publishing
Paperback (32 pages)
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Discover the answers to lots of brilliant questions about prehistoric animals! |
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