Aiolornis incredibilis—Incredible Teratorn // Cathartornis gracilis—Slender Teratorn // Teratornis merriami—Merriam's Teratorn
Synonyms. Teratornis incredibilis.
Late Blancan/Irvingtonian: Vallecito Creek, Anza-Borrego Desert (Howard 1963).
Literature. Howard 1963.
Mid/Late Wisconsin: Rancho La Brea (Stock and Harris 1992).
Literature. Stock and Harris 1992.
The order to which these birds belong is unsettled, some placing them in the Accipitriformes and some in the Ciconiiformes.
This large, extinct probable raptor was reported from Dry Cave by Campbell and Tonni (1981) on the basis of a UTEP specimen (a palatine bone). Harris (1993c) listed the taxon as present in Animal Fair, Dry Cave. Dr. Campbell later found that his comparative material was a mixture of two species, and the palatine was re-identified as that of Aquila (in litt.). Thus, there is no evidence that this taxon occurred in New Mexico.
Wisconsin: Carpinteria (Guthrie 2009).
Mid Wisconsin: McKittrick (Jefferson 1991a).
Mid/Late Wisconsin: Rancho La Brea (L. Miller 1909).
Late Wisconsin: Maricopa (Jefferson 1991a); Stanton's Cave (Rea and Hargrave 1984); Tule Springs (Mawby 1967).
Literature. Campbell and Tonni 1981; Guthrie 2009; Harris 1993c; Jefferson 1991a; Mawby 1967; L. Miller 1909; Rea and Hargrave 1984; Stock and Harris 1992.
Last Update: 6 May 2014