Sulcavis Temporal range: Early Cretaceous, , | |
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Fossil skull | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Clade: | Dinosauria |
Clade: | Saurischia |
Clade: | Theropoda |
Clade: | Avialae |
Clade: | † Enantiornithes |
Family: | † Bohaiornithidae |
Genus: | † Sulcavis O’Connor et al., 2013 |
Type species | |
†Sulcavis geeorum O’Connor et al., 2013 |
Sulcavis is a genus of enantiornithean birds. One species is named, Sulcavis geeorum. The fossil was found in Early Cretaceous (121-125 million years ago) rocks in Liaoning Province, China.
Sulcavis is the first discovery of a bird with ornamented tooth enamel. The enantiornitheans are unique among birds in showing minimal tooth reduction and a diversity of dental patterns. Sulcavis had robust teeth with grooves on the inside surface, which likely strengthened the teeth against harder food items. No previous bird species have preserved ridges, striations, serrated edges, or any other form of dental ornamentation. [1]
The holotype of Sulcavis, BMNH Ph-000805, is discovered near the town of Lamadong, in Liaoning Province, China. The fossil was found in the Yixian Formation, an Early Cretaceous rock formation. The genus was described on January 9, 2013, in an article that was published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology by Jingmai Kathleen O'Connor, Yuguang Zhang, Luis Maria Chiappe, Qingjin Meng, Li Quanguo and Liu Di.
The type species of the new genus was named Sulcavis geeorum by the team of scientists. The genus name comes from the Latin words "sulcus" (groove) and "avis" (bird), reflecting the unusual dental characteristics of the genus. The species name is to honour the Gee family from La Cañada (US) "because of their generous contributions to the research of Mesozoic birds". [1] The holotype of Sulcavis geeorum was prepared by Maureen Walsh at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, USA.
The cladogram below follows O’Connor et al., 2013 phylogenetic analysis. [1]
Yanornis is an extinct genus of fish-eating Early Cretaceous birds. Two species have been described, both from Liaoning province, China: Yanornis martini, based on several fossils found in the 120-million-year-old Jiufotang Formation at Chaoyang, and Yanornis guozhangi, from the 124-million-year-old Yixian Formation.
Eoalulavis is a monotypic genus of enantiornithean bird that lived during the Barremian, in the Lower Cretaceous around 125 million years ago. The only known species is Eoalulavis hoyasi.
Cuspirostrisornis is a genus of enantiornithean bird. Only one species is known, Cuspirostrisornis houi, though some researchers believe this to be a synonym of the similar species Cathayornis yandica. It is known from one fossil found in the Jiufotang Formation in Liaoning province, People's Republic of China. The Jiufotang Formation is dated to the Early Cretaceous period, Aptian age, 120.3 +/-0.7 million years ago.
Eoenantiornis is a genus of enantiornithean birds which lived during the early Cretaceous period. It is known from a single fossil specimen found in the Yixian Formation in Liaoning province, China.
Largirostrornis is a genus of enantiornithean bird. One species has been named, Largirostornis sexdentoris. It lived during the Early Cretaceous and is known from fossils found in the Jiufotang Formation in Liaoning province, People's Republic of China. Some researchers believe this species to be a junior synonym of the similar Cathayornis yandica.
Longirostravis is a genus of enantiornithean birds which existed during the early Cretaceous period and is known from fossils found in the middle or upper Yixian Formation in Yixian County, People's Republic of China. It is known from a single specimen housed in the collections of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology representing the type species Longirostravis hani.
Limenavis is a genus of ornithuran dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous. It lived about 70 million years ago, around the Campanian-Maastrichtian boundary. Known from several broken bones, the remains of the only known species Limenavis patagonica were found in rocks of the "lower member" of the Allen Formation at Salitral Moreno, 20 km south of General Roca, Río Negro (Argentina). It is one of the closest relatives, in the fossil record, of the modern birds.
Pygostylia is a group of avialans which includes the Confuciusornithidae and all of the more advanced species, the Ornithothoraces.
Paraprotopteryx is a genus of enantiornithean birds from the Mesozoic of China.
Protopteryx is an extinct bird and possibly the basalmost enantiornithean, from the Cretaceous period. 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. Protopteryx has been found in the Daibeigou formation, as well. The name Protopteryx means "primitive feather": "proto-" meaning "the first of" and "-pteryx" meaning "feather" or "wing." The name comes from the fact that Protopteryx feathers are more primitive than those of modern birds, such as the two elongated tail feathers that lack barbs and rami.
Shanweiniao is a genus of long-snouted enantiornithean birds from Early Cretaceous China. One species is known, Shanweiniao cooperorum. There is one known fossil, a slab and counterslab. The fossil is in the collection of the Dalian Natural History Museum, and has accession number DNHM D1878/1 and DNHM1878/2. It was collected from the Lower Cretaceous Dawangzhengzi Beds, middle Yixian Formation, from Lingyuan in the Liaoning Province, China.
The Yixian Formation is a geological formation in Jinzhou, Liaoning, People's Republic of China, that spans about 1.6 million years during the early Cretaceous period. It is known for its fossils, listed below.
Shenqiornis is a genus of enantiornithean dinosaurs. It was found in the Qiaotou Member of the Huajiying Formation of Hebei Province, China, and is therefore of uncertain age. The Qiaotou Member may correlate with the more well-known Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation, and so probably is dated to the Aptian, around 122 million years ago.
Longicrusavis is an extinct genus of basal ornithuromorph bird found only at Dawangzhangzi village in Liaoning Province, China. Longicrusavis was a ground dwelling carnivore, a wader, and part of biological family Hongshanornithidae, considered to have been a dominant species in the Jehol Biota, the prehistoric Chinese ecosystem which supported them. The name Hongshanornithidae represents one of China's oldest recorded cultures in the region, the Hongshan culture.
Songlingornithidae is a family of basal euornithean dinosaurs from the Early Cretaceous of China. All known specimens come from the Jiufotang Formation and the Yixian Formation, dating to the early Barremian and Aptian ages, 125–120 million years ago.
Yanornithiformes is an order of ornithuromorph dinosaurs from the early Cretaceous Period of China. All known specimens come from the Yixian Formation and Jiufotang Formation, dating to the early Aptian age, 124.6 to 120 million years ago.
Longipterygidae is a family of early enantiornithean avialans from the Early Cretaceous epoch of China. All known specimens come from the Jiufotang Formation and Yixian Formation, dating to the early Aptian age, 125-120 million years ago.
Ambiortiformes is a group of prehistoric ornithuromorph dinosaurs.
Hollanda is a genus of small ground birds known from fossils found in the Barun Goyot Formation of Mongolia. Found at Khermeen Tsav, it dates from the late Cretaceous period, about 75 million years ago. Known only from partial hind limbs, Hollanda has long legs with an unusual configuration of the toes. These indicate that it was a fast-running ground bird, possibly similar to the modern Roadrunner. Its relationships are uncertain. Some studies have found that it was an relatively advanced bird, a member of the Ornithurae, related to birds like Ichthyornis. Other studies have recovered it as a member of the primitive family Songlingornithidae. A more expansive study found it as an enantiornithean. Dinosaur Institute at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County project lead and researcher, Alyssa Bell, named the new species after the Holland family and the rock band Lucero.
Bohaiornithidae is a group of early predatory enantiornithean dinosaurs from the early Cretaceous Period of China. All known specimens come from the Jiufotang Formation and Yixian Formation, dating to the early Aptian age, 125–120 million years ago. Bohaiornithidae was first coined by Wang and colleagues in 2014. They defined it as the natural group formed by all descendants of the common ancestor of the type species, Bohaiornis guoi, and Shenqiornis mengi.