Iberomesornis

Reconstruction of Iberomesornis in the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales in Madrid

• Spain

Iberomesornis (Greek: " intermediate Spanish bird" ) is an extinct species of bird from the lower Cretaceous. The first and only fossil was discovered in 1985 in Las Hoyas in the Spanish province of Cuenca and described 1992 as Iberomesornis romerali.

Features

Iberomesornis was a small bird the size of a house sparrow and a head -body length of less than ten inches. Pelvis and legs remain in a primitive, reminiscent of Archaeopteryx state while the shoulder girdle and the wings were developed and are reminiscent of the situation in the Ornithurae, including the Modern birds ( Neornithes ) belong.

The authors of the original description, Sanz and Bonaparte concluded that the early evolution of birds was initially characterized by the development of wings, shoulder girdle and a pygostyle, the anatomical prerequisites for the full flying of birds.

The Fußkrallen of Iberomesornis were already strongly curved around the seats to optimize branches.