| Cathayornis yandica
Taxonomy: Class Aves, Subclass Enantiornithes, Superorder Euenantiornithes, Order
Cathayornithiformes, FamilyCathyornithidae
Geological Time: Lower Cretaceous, Aptian age (100 to 120 million years old)
Size: 96 mm long (top of skull to tip of toes) 52 mm across at wings; Matrix:
100 mm by 141 mm
Fossil Site: Jiufotang Formation, Chaoyang, Liaoning Province, China
Item: RV002
Price: $2700.00
Remarks: Early Cretaceous birds from the lacustrine deposits of Western Liaoning
Province are well known for their exceptional diversity, abundance, and degree
of preservation. This one is the Enanthiorinine Cathayornis yandica. The Enantiornithine
birds at one time were the dominant group of birds during the Cretaceous, only
to go the way of the dinosaurs by the end of the period. Their name is derived
in the meaning “opposite birds” due to a reverse articular arrangement
between the scapula and the coracoid from the typical birds of today. The fusion
of the foot bones is also opposite from modern birds. Cathayornis derives its
genus name from the word Cathay, an ancient term for China. Paul Sereno, et.
al. have synonymized this one with Sinornis, but not all researchers agree. Cathayornis
(or Sinornis) is one of the few early Cretaceous birds known from over a dozen
nearly complete examples. This one is quite well preserved, with an intact skull.
While they are known to be toothed, the teeth are not readily apparent here.
The wing claws are visible, particularly in the left wing.
Reference: Zhou, Zhonghe, Hou, Lianhai (2001) "The Discovery
and Study of Mesozoic Birds in China" in "Mesozoic Birds:
above the heads of dinosaurs". Chiappe and Witmer, ed. 2001,
University of California Press |
