Vertebrate Fauna of The Maastrichtian Stage - Birds

Birds

Birds of the Maastrichtian
Taxa Presence Location Description Images
  • †Anatalavis
  • †Anatalavis rex
 A genus of bird related to modern ducks and geese. Found in the Hornerstone Formation of New Jersey.The oldest of the two known Anatalavis species. The younger species dates from London's Early Eocene rocks and is called A. oxfordi.
  • †Avisaurus
  • †Avisaurus archibaldi
 A genus of carnivorous birds containing two known species, only one of which was present during the Maastrichtian. The type species of Avisaurus, A. archibaldi was discovered in Montana's Hell Creek formation.
  • †Canadaga
  • †Canadaga arctica
 A genus of flightless toothed sea birds related to Hesperornis The only known Canadaga species, it was a large bird (more than 5 feet (1.5 m) long)lived in the shallow seas of northern Canada.
  • †Ceramornis
  • †Ceramornis major
 A charadriiforme from the Lance Creek Formation. Its evolutionary relationships are obscure. Known only from part of a single Coracoid bone, C. major is the only known Ceramornis species.
  • †"Cimolopteryx"
 A genus of shore bird from the Lance Creek Formation of Wyoming.
  • †Enantiornis
  • †Enantiornis leali
 A genus of predatory bird discovered in Argentina. Possibly related to Avisaurus. A 3-foot (0.91 m) long eagle-like predator, it is the only known Enantiornis species.
  • †Gargantuavis
  • †Gargantuavis philoinos
 A genus of large flightless ratite-like bird. Eggs previously attributed to Titanosaurs may in fact be from this genus. Known from France, it is the Gargantuavis type species and indeed the only species discovered thus far.
  • †Graculavus
  • †Hesperornis
 A large aquatic diving bird with teeth, vestigial wings, and lobed toes. Discovered in Kansas by O. C. Marsh during the bone wars.
  • †Judinornis
  • †Judinornis nogontsavensis
 A somewhat primitive relative of Hesperornis, this toothed but flightless bird lived in freshwater, unlike its relatives. The only known species, this bird lived in the estuaries and rivers of mountains in the Nemegt Formation of Mongolia.
  • †Laornis
  • †Laornis edvardsianus
  • †Lectavis
  • †Lectavis bretincola
 A genus of wading birds with uncertain evolutionary affinities, it had legs resembling and a body approximately the size of a modern curlew. The only known Lectavis species, it lived in Argentina
  • †Neogaeornis
  • †Neogaeornis wetzeli
 A marine bird from Chile. It had the midfeet of a foot-propelled diving bird, but its relationships are enigmatic. The only known species is from the Campanian-Maastrichitan boundary.
  • †Palaeotringa
  • †Palintropus
  • †Palintropus retusus
  • †Potamornis
  • †Potamornis skutchi
 A genus of bird from the Lance Creek Formation that is related to Hesperornis.

The type and only known species, its epithet was chosen to honor Dr. Alexander F. Skutch. Its only remains consist of a right quadrate and fragmentary post-cranial elements.
  • †Telmatornis
  • †Tytthostonyx
  • †Tytthostonyx glauconiticus
  • †Vegavis
  • †Vegavis iaai

A relative of modern ducks and geese.

The only known species of Vegavis, all known fossils of V. iaai came from a single individual discovered in Antarctica.

Read more about this topic:  Vertebrate Fauna Of The Maastrichtian Stage

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