Changzuiornis

Changzuiornis
Temporal occurrence
	Lower Cretaceous ( Aptium )
	approx. 120 million years
Locations
	Jiufotang Formation ( People's Republic of China );
Systematics
	Birds (aves, avialae)
	Pygostylia
	Ornithuromorpha
	Ornithurae
	Changzuiornis
Scientific name
	Changzuiornis
	Huang , Wang , Hu , Liu , Peteya & Clarke , 2016
Art
	Changzuiornis ahgmi;

Changzuiornis is an extinct genus of the Ornithuromorpha . The genus name is derived from the Chinese changzui "the longest" and the Greek ornis "bird" and refers to the long beak.

The only known species is called Changzuiornis ahgmi . The species name refers to the Anhui Geological Museum (AHGM), in which the holotype specimen is housed.

It was named and described in 2016 by Huang Jiandong, Wang Xia, Hu Yuanchao, Liujia, Jennifer A. Peteya and Julia A. Clarke.

remains

The fossil (holotype AGB5840) was discovered in the Jiufotang Formation , which lies in what is now China. The remains come from the Lower Cretaceous ( Aptium ). It consists of an almost complete connected skeleton with a skull. The specimen is an adult.

Remains of gastroliths and parts of the tongue have been preserved. The rear ends of both shoulder blades are missing. The sternum is not visible. Only faint outlines of several free caudal vertebrae can be seen. The pygostyle is clearly exposed and is short. The remains of the feathers are in bad shape. The existing body contour feathers are connected to the posterior skull. In addition, several primary springs are assigned to both front legs. Approximately seven pointed, small, narrow and jagged teeth are exposed between the upper jaw and the gums.

particularities

Changzuiornis were one of the larger birds in the area, with a wingspan of about half a meter. It differs from other genera: The beak is elongated and makes up more than 60% of the total length of the skull (approx. 68% for the AGB5840 specimen). Most of the beak is made up of the upper jaw. It differed from the Xinghaiornis in its much smaller body size and the many tiny teeth on the lower jaw. The new species differs from Hesperornithiformes and Ichthyornis in that it has significantly smaller teeth with straighter crowns. Both intermaxillary bones are in contrast to the enantiornithes such. B. Longipteryx , Rapaxavis , Longirostravis and Shanweiniao completely toothless.

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f J. Huang, X. Wang, Y. Hu, J. Liu, JA Peteya, JA Clarke: A new ornithurine from the Early Cretaceous of China sheds light on the evolution of early ecological and cranial diversity in birds . In: PeerJ . 4, 2016, p. E1765. doi : 10.7717 / peerj.1765 .

[:0-1] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f J. Huang, X. Wang, Y. Hu, J. Liu, JA Peteya, JA Clarke: A new ornithurine from the Early Cretaceous of China sheds light on the evolution of early ecological and cranial diversity in birds . In: PeerJ . 4, 2016, p. E1765. doi : 10.7717 / peerj.1765 .