Aves - Suliformes - Plotopteridae
Full reference: H. Howard. 1969. A new avian fossil from Kern County, California. The Condor 71(1):68-69
Parent taxon: Suliformes according to G. Mayr and J. L. Goedert 2018
See also Carroll 1988, Dyke et al. 2011, Goedert 1988, Goedert and Cornish 2002, Howard 1969, Howard 1972, Mayr 2005, Mayr 2022, Olson 1980, Olson 1985, Olson and Hasegawa 1979, Olson and Hasegawa 1996 and Sakurai et al. 2008
Sister taxa: Anhingidae, Fregatidae, Mangystania, Phalacrocoracidae, Sulidae
Subtaxa: Empeirodytes Phocavis Plotopterum Stemec Stenornis Tonsalinae
Ecology: ground dwelling carnivore
Distribution:
• Miocene of Japan (1 collection)
• Oligocene of Canada (1: British Columbia), Japan (15), United States (7: California, Washington)
• Eocene to Oligocene of United States (2: Washington)
• Eocene of Japan (1), United States (1: Oregon)
Total: 28 collections including 33 occurrences