Xiangornis

Ze-ang-or-nis.
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Maeve Foster

Paleoclimatologist

Maeve Foster explores the Earth's climatic past to understand the forces that shaped life on our planet. Her research into ancient climate events provides valuable context for current environmental challenges.

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Name

Xiangornis.

Phonetic

Ze-ang-or-nis.

Named By

D.‭ ‬-Y.‭ ‬Hu,‭ ‬X.‭ ‬Xu,‭ ‬L.‭ ‬Hou‭ & ‬C.‭ ‬Sullivan‭ ‬-‭ ‬2012.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Aves,‭ ‬Ornithothoraces,‭ ‬Enantiornithes.

Diet

Uncertain.

Species

X.‭ ‬shenmi‭

Size

Unavailable.

Known locations

China,‭ ‬Liaoning Province‭ ‬-‭ ‬Jiufutang Formation.

Time Period

Aptian of the Formation.

Fossil representation

Partial post cranial remains.

In Depth

       Xiangornis is a genus of enantiornithine bird from the early Cretaeous of China.‭ ‬The enantiornithine birds are considered separate from the ornithomorph birds,‭ ‬yet Xiangornis shows features that are common to both groups.‭ ‬Though this could simply be a case of convergent evolution with similar features being adapted by both groups,‭ ‬it has blurred the distinction line between these groups even further.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬A new enantiornithine bird from the Lower Cretaceous of Western Liaoning,‭ ‬China,‭ ‬and its implications for early avian evolution.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology‭ ‬32‭(‬3‭)‬:639-645‭ ‬-‭ ‬D.‭ ‬-Y.‭ ‬Hu,‭ ‬X.‭ ‬Xu,‭ ‬L.‭ ‬Hou‭ & ‬C.‭ ‬Sullivan‭ ‬-‭ ‬2012.

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