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Enantiornithinae
''Enantiornis'' is a genus of Enantiornithes. The type and only currently accepted species ''E. leali'' is from the Late Cretaceous Lecho Formation at El Brete, Argentina. It was described from specimen PVL-4035, a coracoid, proximal scapula and proximal humerus found close to each other and suspected to represent the left shoulder of a single individual. Description The genus and the larger group it belongs to, get their name from the reversed scapula-coracoid connection they possess compared to modern birds and the hesperornithids that were their contemporaries: Enanti "opposite", ornis is "bird". Another left shoulder and wing, almost complete and found associated in one lump of rock, as well as a few isolated bones were also assigned to this species mainly based on size. It is among the largest enantiornithines discovered to date, with a length in life of around , hip height of , weight of , and wingspan comparable to herring gulls, around . Its ecological niche rese ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Enantiornithes
The Enantiornithes, also known as enantiornithines or enantiornitheans in literature, are a group of extinct avialans ("birds" in the broad sense), the most abundant and diverse group known from the Mesozoic era. Almost all retained teeth and clawed fingers on each wing, but otherwise looked much like modern birds externally. Over eighty species of Enantiornithes have been named, but some names represent only single bones, so it is likely that not all are valid. The Enantiornithes became extinct at the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary, along with Hesperornithes and all other non-avian dinosaurs. Discovery and naming The first Enantiornithes to be discovered were incorrectly referred to modern bird groups. For example, the first known species of Enantiornithes, '' Gobipteryx minuta'', was originally considered a paleognath related to ostriches and tinamou. The Enantiornithes were first recognized as a distinct lineage, or "subclass" of birds, by Cyril A. Walker in 1981. Walker ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maastrichtian
The Maastrichtian () is, in the ICS geologic timescale, the latest age (uppermost stage) of the Late Cretaceous Epoch or Upper Cretaceous Series, the Cretaceous Period or System, and of the Mesozoic Era or Erathem. It spanned the interval from . The Maastrichtian was preceded by the Campanian and succeeded by the Danian (part of the Paleogene and Paleocene). The Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event (formerly known as the Cretaceous– Tertiary extinction event) occurred at the end of this age. In this mass extinction, many commonly recognized groups such as non-avian dinosaurs, plesiosaurs and mosasaurs, as well as many other lesser-known groups, died out. The cause of the extinction is most commonly linked to an asteroid about wide colliding with Earth, ending the Cretaceous. Stratigraphic definitions Definition The Maastrichtian was introduced into scientific literature by Belgian geologist André Hubert Dumont in 1849, after studying rock strata of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eagle
Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just 14 species can be found—2 in North America, 9 in Central and South America, and 3 in Australia. Eagles are not a natural group but denote essentially any kind of bird of prey large enough to hunt sizeable (about 50 cm long or more overall) vertebrates. Description Eagles are large, powerfully-built birds of prey, with heavy heads and beaks. Even the smallest eagles, such as the booted eagle (''Aquila pennata''), which is comparable in size to a common buzzard (''Buteo buteo'') or red-tailed hawk (''B. jamaicensis''), have relatively longer and more evenly broad wings, and more direct, faster flight – despite the reduced size of aerodynamic feathers. Most eagles are larger than any other raptors apart from some vultures. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elsornis
''Elsornis'' is a genus of enantiornithine bird. Only one species is known, ''Elsornis keni''. It lived during the Late Cretaceous. It is known from a partially articulated fossil skeleton found in the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. The holotype fossil is given catalog number MPD - b 100/201. It is in the collection of the Mongolian Palaeontological Center. The fossil was collected at Togrogiin Shiree, South Gobi Aimak, Mongolia; Djadokhta Formation, Late Cretaceous, Campanian. The fossil is extremely well preserved in three dimensions. It preserves a pneumatized Furcula The (Latin for "little fork") or wishbone is a forked bone found in most birds and some species of non-avian dinosaurs, and is formed by the fusion of the two pink clavicles. In birds, its primary function is in the strengthening of the thoracic ..., which was a character previously unknown in enantiornithines. Chiappe et al. (2007) conclude from the proportions of ''Elsornis'' ' pectoral skeleton that it was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Protopteryx
''Protopteryx'' is an extinct bird and the most basal enantiornithean, from the Cretaceous period.Zhou, Zhonghe. (2002). "A new and primitive enantiornithine bird from the Early Cretaceous of China." ''Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology'', 22(1): 49-57. The type species is ''P. fengningensis''. It was first discovered in the Sichakou Member of the Yixian Formation or Huajiying Formation of Hebei Province, northern China, dating from 131 Ma ago.O'Connor, J.K., Zhou Z. and Zhang F. (In press). "A reappraisal of ''Boluochia zhengi'' (Aves: Enantiornithes) and a discussion of intraclade diversity in the Jehol avifauna, China." ''Journal of Systematic Palaeontology'', (published online before print 16 December 2010). ''Protopteryx ''has been found in the Daibeigou formation, as well.Zhiheng Li, Zhonghe Zhou, Min Wang, Julia A. Clarke, (2014). "A New Specimen of Large-Bodied Basal Enantiornithine ''Bohaiornis'' from the Early Cretaceous of China and the Inference of Feeding Ecology in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cruralispennia
''Cruralispennia'' is an extinct genus of enantiornithean bird. The only known specimen of ''Cruralispennia'' was discovered in the Early Cretaceous Huajiying Formation of China and formally described in 2017. The type species of ''Cruralispennia'' is ''Cruralispennia multidonta''. The generic name is Latin for "shin feather", while the specific name means "many-toothed". The holotype of ''Cruralispennia'' is IVPP 21711, a semi-articulated partial skeleton surrounded by the remains of carbonized feathers. ''Cruralispennia'' lived alongside several other species of enantiornitheans, such as ''Protopteryx,'' in the Sichakou Basin of the Huajiying Formation, approximately 130.7 million years ago. Despite being one of the earliest known ornithothoraces, this genus possessed several features of derived enantiornitheans as well as some unusual traits convergent with ornithuromorphs, a group containing modern birds. ''Cruralispennia'' is also notable for having crural feathers or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elbretornis
''Elbretornis'' is an extinct genus of enantiornithine which existed in what is now Salta Province, Argentina during the late Cretaceous period. Etymology It was named by Cyril A. Walker and Gareth J. Dyke in 2009, and the type and so far only species is ''Elbretornis bonapartei''. The generic name refers to the " El Brete" locality, where the fossil remains were found, and the Greek word for "bird" (''ornis''). The specific name honors José Bonaparte. Description It is known from the holotype PVL 4022, left humerus and associated right radius, ulna, scapula, coracoid, and tibiotarsus, recovered from the El Brete locality (Maastrichtian age), Lecho Formation of Argentina. The holotype indicates an animal with a length of , hip height of , and weight of . Taxonomy As few elements are known from ''Elbretornis'', it might actually belong to one of the El Brete enantiornithines known only from leg bones and described earlier, namely '' Lectavis'', ''Soroavisaurus'' o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Martinavis
''Martinavis'' is a genus of enantiornithine birds which existed in what is now southern France, North America and Salta Province, Argentina during the late Cretaceous period. It was named by Cyril A. Walker, Eric Buffetaut and Gareth J. Dyke in 2007, and the type species is ''Martinavis cruzyensis''. Description ''M. cruzyensis'' is known from the holotype ACAP-M 1957, a complete uncrushed right humerus, recovered from the Massecaps locality, Cruzy, which is in a Campanian/Maastrichtian-stage deposits in the Grès à Reptiles Formation of France. This species reached in length, in hip height and in weight. A second species, ''M. vincei'' is known from the holotype PVL 4054, a complete left humerus and from the associated paratype PVL 4059, a distal end of left humerus, recovered from the El Brete locality (Maastrichtian age), Lecho Formation of Argentina. A possible third species is represented by the unnamed specimen KU-NM-37 from United States. In 2009, thre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yungavolucris
''Yungavolucris'' is a genus of enantiornithean birds. It contains the single species ''Yungavolucris brevipedalis'', which lived in the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian, c.70.6 – 66 mya). The fossil bones were found in the Lecho Formation at ''estancia'' El Brete, Argentina."''Yungavolucris brevipedalis''" means "Short-footed Yungas bird". The generic name, ''Yungavolucris'' is after the Yungas region + the Latin ''volucris'', which translates to "bird" (literally "flyer"). The specific name ''brevipedalis'' is from the Latin ''brevis'', which means "short", + ''pedalis'', from the Latin ''pes'', meaning "foot". Description The only remains of ''Yungavolucris'' discovered so far consist of several tarsometatarsals, of which only the holotype (PVL-4053) is nearly complete. These tarsometatarsals are unusually very stout and flat, and also very wide at the lower end. These specimens are small, just over 4 cm (1.5 inches) long, and if its legs and feet were not excessiv ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Soroavisaurus
''Soroavisaurus'' is a genus of enantiornithean birds related to '' Avisaurus''. It lived during the Late Cretaceous of Argentina. The only known species, ''S. australis'', is known from fossils collected from the Lecho Formation (Maastrichtian age) of Estancia El Brete, in the southern tip of the province of Salta, Argentina. A binominal name of this animal means "Southern sister Avisaur". Description The specimens are in the collection of the Fundación-Instituto Miguel Lillo, Tucumán. They are cataloged as PVL-4690, a -long left tarsometatarsus, and PVL-4048, which includes another left tarsometatarsus, -long and associated with the whole hallux, or digit I, and four intermediate phalanges. PVL-4048 was previously described as ''"Avisaurus sp."'' (see '' Avisaurus'').Chiappe, Luis M. (1993) "Enantiornithine (Aves) Tarsometatarsi from the Cretaceous Lecho Formation of Northwestern Argentina." "American Museum Novitates" December 27, 1993 Number 3083, 27pp. PVL-4048, th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lectavis
''Lectavis'' is a genus of enantiornithine birds. Their fossil bones have been recovered from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian, c. 70.6 – 66 mya) Lecho Formation at ''estancia'' El Brete, Argentina. The genus contains a single species, ''Lectavis bretincola''. Etymology It's naming means "Lecho Formation bird living at El Brete". ''Lectavis'', after Latin ''lectus'' ("bed") = Spanish ''lecho'' + Latin ''avis'', "bird". ''bretincola'', after the type locality ''estancia'' El Brete + Latin ''incola'', "inhabitant". Description The presently only known fossil bones ( PVL-4021-1) are mostly of the left tibiotarsus (lower leg) and tarsometatarsus (upper foot) of a single individual. ''L. bretincola'' was a sizeable bird, with a tibiotarsus and a tarsometatarsus which if complete must have been nearly long (Chiappe 1993). This remains indicate an animal with a length of , hip height of , and weight of . It possesses a hypotarsus, which it evolved autapomorphically fro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Explorornis
''Explorornis'' ("discovered bird", from Latin ''explōrō'' "to discover" and Ancient Greek ''ornis'' (''όρνις'') "bird") is a genus of Mesozoic birds which lived during the mid-late Turonian stage, around 90 million years ago, in the Bissekty Formation of the Kyzyl Kum, in present-day Uzbekistan.Panteleev, 1998. New species of enantiornithines (Aves: Enantiornithes) from the Upper Cretaceous of Central Kyzylkum. Russkii Ornitologicheskii Zhurnal. Ekspress-vy.pvsk 35: 3-15. ''E. walkeri'' (specimen PO 4825) was originally placed in ''Enantiornis'', but the description of the type species ''E. nessovi'' (PO 4819), showed that it was not congeneric with the South American ''Enantiornis'', which makes far more sense considering biogeography and age. The two species are named after famous paleontologists: Lev Alexandrovich Nesov (1947–1995) and Alick Donald Walker. These were all smallish birds, maybe 15–20 cm long in life, except ''E. walkeri'' which was probably ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
