Neuquenornis

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Neuquenornis
Fossil range: Late Cretaceous (Santonian)
Conservation status
Fossil
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Subclass: Enantiornithes
Superorder: Euenantiornithes
Family: Avisauridae
Genus: Neuquenornis
Chiappe & Calvo, 1994
Species: N. volans
Binomial name
Neuquenornis volans
Chiappe & Calvo, 1994

Neuquenornis volans[1] was an enantiornithine bird which lived during the Late Cretaceous in today's Patagonia, Argentina. It is presently the only known species of the genus Neuquenornis. Its fossils were found in the Santonian Bajo de la Carpa Formation, dating from about 85-83 million years ago. This was a sizeable bird for its time, measuring nearly 30 cm (12 in) in length excluding the tail[1].

Originally considered a close relative of Avisaurus in the Enantiornithiformes, more recent analysis including many newly-described Enantiornithes[2] finds it closer to Concornis and Cathayornis (or Sinornis).

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Etymology: "Flying bird from Neuquén Province". Neuquenornis, from Neuquén Province + Ancient Greek ornis (όρνις) "bird". volans, Latin for "flying" in reference to the species' well-developed wing skeleton.
  2. ^ Mortimer (2004)

[edit] References

  • Mortimer, Michael (2004a): The Theropod Database: Phylogeny of taxa. Retrieved 2007-OCT-29.

[edit] External links

  • The Dinosauricon: Reconstruction by Martin F. Chavez H.. Retrieved 2007-AUG-30.
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