Enantiornithes
Reconstruction of Iberomesornis in Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales in Madrid
- Spain, France
- Central Asia ( China ( Jehol Group), Uzbekistan, Mongolia)
- Western North America, Alabama, Mexico
- South America ( Argentina, leche- Formation)
- Australia
- Madagascar
The Enantiornithes ( " opposite birds ", derived from Gr. Έναντα ( Enanta ) " opposite, against " όρνιθος ( ornithos ) "Bird " ) are a group dental bearing fossil birds that became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period. After her first appearance in the Lower Cretaceous of Spain, Queensland as well as in northeast China's Jehol group, they were the most common and most species-rich group of birds during the Upper Cretaceous.
First described in 1981 by Cyril Alexander Walker, the Enantiornithes differ in the articulation between the scapula and coracoid of the Ornithurae, which also include all modern birds: In contrast to the arrangement in ornithurinen birds is on the shoulder blade a socket and the coracoid a pivot pin ago. In the Carpometacarpus Enantiornithes the third metacarpal enough outward beyond the length of the second metacarpal bone.
Due to their toes proportions and long curved claws enantiornithine many birds are considered arboreal. Some forms such as Eoenantiornis, Protopteryx and Eoalulavis had a Daumenfittich and may have been better flier against primitive birds like Archaeopteryx, Jeholornis and Conficiusornis.
That already existed an extensive ecological diversification within the group in the Lower Cretaceous, including the findings of Longipteryx show its forelimbs / hindlimbs ratio 1.56 that of any other Enantiornithes surpassed and its beak and tooth morphology as that of a fish -eater be interpreted, and Longirostravis, who probably used its slender, pointed beak as Schlammsondierer.
System
The following are Cladogramm simplifies the relationships of Mesozoic bird groups by Chiappe et al. (2002) with special reference to Enantiornithes again:
? Oviraptorosaurier (not too loud birds Fastovsky and Weishampel 2005)
Noguerornis
Iberomesornis
Euenantiornithes
Ornithuromorpha (including modern birds)
Archaeopterygidae
Jeholornis