Archaeopsittacus

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Archaeopsittacus is an extinct genus of parrots known from fossils found in Verreaux, near Saint-Gérand-le-Puy, France. It lived in the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene, about 23 million years ago. The genus contains a single species, Archaeopsittacus verreauxi. The name means “ancient parrot from Verreaux”; verreauxi honors Verreaux. It was described in 1870 by Alphonse Milne-Edwards. A later spelling, Psittacus verreauxii, is considered a lapsus (a spelling mistake).

Classification (simplified):
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Psittaciformes (parrots)
- Superfamily: Psittacoidea
- Genus: Archaeopsittacus
- Species: A. verreauxi

Archaeopsittacus is thought to be close to the Old World parrot lineages, potentially within Psittacoidea, but its exact position is uncertain because it lacks distinctive features. More fossil material is needed to determine its precise placement.