Yixianornis

The holotype in Chinese palaeozoological Museum.

• Jiufotang Formation in Liaoning ( China )

• Yixianornis grabaui Zhou & Zhang, 2001

Yixianornis (义县 鸟) is an extinct bird genus from the Lower Cretaceous. Remains were found in the Jiufotang formation in Chaoyang (China ) and are therefore likely from the lower Aptian (~ 120 Ma BP) originate. Previously, only one type is known, Yixianornis grabaui.

Etymology

The neologism Yixianornis derived from Yixian (Chinese义县, Pinyin Yixian ) with the notified after Yixian Formation and the ancient Greek όρνις ( ornis ) for birds. The species name grabaui goes back to the American paleontologist Amadeus William Grabau, who conducted field surveys in China in the early 20th century.

System

Yixianornis was a close relative of Yanornis and Songlingornis. These three genera together form a taxon within the early modern birds. They are very primitive birds, but already have an essentially modern pygostyle with a fan of tail feathers.