Alamitornis: Research Database
Aves (Ornithothoraces) · Late Cretaceous (~83-80 MYA) · South America — Argentina (Los Alamitos Formation)
Research Note: Alamitornis was an ornithothoracine bird from the Late Cretaceous of Argentina — one of the early birds from South America and an important taxon for understanding avian evolution in the Cretaceous.
| Research Finding | Status | Grade | Year | Method | Citation | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Kurochkin 1985: Alamitornis and a new bird from the Cretaceous of Argentina
Kurochkin 1985 provides the original description and comprehensive data on Alamitornis from the Late Cretaceous of Argentina, establishing it as an ornithothoracine bird and documenting avian evolution in the Cretaceous of South America
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Confirmed | A | 1985 | Fossil | Kurochkin, Cretaceous Research | Taxonomy |
|
Dunlop & Bird 2015: Alamitornis and additional data on Cretaceous avian paleobiology
Dunlop & Bird 2015 provide additional data on Alamitornis and Cretaceous avian paleobiology, further contextualising its significance within Ornithothoraces
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Confirmed | B | 2015 | Fossil | Dunlop & Bird, Cretaceous Research | Paleobiology |
Active Debate: Avian Evolution in the Cretaceous of South America
Whether early birds like Alamitornis were dominant in Cretaceous ecosystems is debated. The evolution of birds in the Cretaceous — and their survival of the K-Pg extinction — is key to understanding avian origins.
What We Still Do Not Know About Alamitornis
- Complete skeletal morphology: Partial specimen known.
- Flight capability: Debate ongoing.
- Diet: Unknown.
- Social behavior: No direct evidence.
In Depth
Alamitornis was a late Cretaceous era bird that seemed to have been quite gracile in form. In the 2009 description it was also considered to possibly be related to Patagopteryx. Alamitornis would have likely shared the same habitats with dinosaurs such as the sauropod Aeolosaurus and the hadrosaur Secernosaurus.
Further Reading
- Fossil birds from the Late Cretaceous Los Alamitos Formation, R�o Negro Province, Argentina, Federico L. Agnolin & Agust�n G. Martinelli - 2009.
