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Enantiornis
''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 res ... [...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 mad ... [...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] |
Incolornis
''Incolornis'' (meaning "inhabitant bird") is an extinct genus of basal birds from the Late Cretaceous (Coniacian, 89-86 mya). Remains have been found in the Bissekty Formation in Uzbekistan.Panteleyev, A.V. (1998) New species of enantiornithines (Aves: Enantiornithes) from the Upper Cretaceous of central Kyzylkum. ''Russkii Ornitologicheskii Zhurnal Ekspress Vypusk'' 35:3-15. It is only known from fragmentary coracoids. The systematic position of the genus is unclear; it might have been an enantiornithine bird. Two species are known, ''Incolonis silvae'' and ''Incolornis martini''; the latter was initially placed in the genus ''Enantiornis ''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 ...''. The estimated length of these animals was 135 mm for ''I. silvae'' and 220 mm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Largest Prehistoric Animals
The largest prehistoric animals include both vertebrate and invertebrate species. Many of them are described below, along with their typical range of size (for the general dates of extinction, see the link to each). Many species mentioned might not actually be the largest representative of their clade due to the incompleteness of the fossil record and many of the sizes given are merely estimates since no complete specimen have been found. Their body mass, especially, is largely conjecture because soft tissue was rarely fossilized. Generally the size of extinct species was subject to energetic and biomechanical constraints. Non-mammalian synapsids (Synapsida) Caseasaurs (Caseasauria) The herbivorous ''Alierasaurus'' was the largest caseid and the largest amniote to have lived at the time, with an estimated length around . '' Cotylorhynchus hancocki'' is also large, with an estimated length and weight of at least and more than . Edaphosaurids (Edaphosauridae) The larges ... [...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] |
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] |
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] |
Lecho Formation
The Lecho Formation is a geological formation in the Salta Basin of the provinces Jujuy and Salta of northwestern Argentina. Its strata date back to the Early Maastrichtian, and is a unit of the Salta Group. The fine-grained bioturbated sandstones of the formation were deposited in a fluvial to lacustrine coastal plain environment. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.Weishampel et al., 2004, "Dinosaur distribution (Late Cretaceous, South America)." pp. 600-604 According to Frankfurt and Chiappe (1999), the Lecho Formation is composed of reddish sandstones. The Lecho is part of the Upper/Late Cretaceous Balbuena Subgroup (Salta Group), which is a near-border stratigraphic unit of the Andean sedimentary basin. Fossils from this formation include the titanosaur ''Saltasaurus'' along with a variety of avian and non-avian theropods. Fossil content See also * List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations * Marília Formation Referenc ... [...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] |
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area of , about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8.7% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which has long been home to the majority of the human population, was the site of many of the first civilizations. Its 4.7 billion people constitute roughly 60% of the world's population. In general terms, Asia is bounded on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the south by the Indian Ocean, and on the north by the Arctic Ocean. The border of Asia with Europe is a historical and cultural construct, as there is no clear physical and geographical separation between them. It is somewhat arbitrary and has moved since its first conception in classical antiquity. The division of Eurasia into two continents reflects East–West cultural, linguistic, ... [...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 Chalk Group c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Avisaurus
''Avisaurus'' (meaning "bird lizard") is a genus of enantiornithine bird from the Late Cretaceous of North America. Discovery ''Avisaurus archibaldi'' was discovered in the Late Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation of North America (Maastrichtian, from c.70.6-66 million years ago), making it one of the last enantiornithids. It was collected in 1975 in the UCMP locality V73097, in Garfield County, Montana, USA. The holotype is represented by a single fossil of a tarsometatarsus in the collection of the University of California Museum of Paleontology. It has the catalog number UCMP 117600. The species name honors J. David Archibald, its discoverer, from The University of California, Berkeley. It was initially described as the left tarsometatarsus of a non-avian theropod by Brett-Surman and Paul in 1985. It was later redescribed as the right tarsometatarsus of an enantiornithine bird by Chiappe in 1992.Chiappe, Luis M. (1992) "Enantiornithine (Aves) Tarsometatarsi and the Avian Affinities ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
