Prophaethon

Prophaethon is an extinct genus of seabird that lived during the Early Eocene (Ypresian, c.56-49 mya). As indicated by its generic name, it is a distant relative of the tropicbirds.

Prophaethon Temporal range: Early Eocene, 56–49 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Phaethontiformes
Family:	†Prophaethontidae
Genus:	†Prophaethon
Species:	†P. shrubsolei
Binomial name
†Prophaethon shrubsolei Andrews, 1899

Distribution

The type species, P. shrubsolei, is essentially known from a holotype specimen consisting of fairly comprehensive fossil remains of a single individual, namely a skull and some limb bones, which were recovered from the London Clay on the Isle of Sheppey, England.^[1] Since its initial description, more remains of P. shrubsolei were described by Gerald Mayr, having been found at Walton-on-the-Naze, also in the London Clay.^[2] A second species, P. waltonensis, has also been described from fossil remains hailing from Walton-on-the-Naze.^[3]