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Jianchang Confucius Bird Confuciusornis jianchangensis<br />
Time: 120 Ma ago Location: Liaoning, China Habitat: Jiufotang Formation, temperatesubtropical<br />
swamps dominated by ginkgo <strong>and</strong> conifer trees, set among shallow lakes <strong>and</strong><br />
stagnant waterways. Size: WS unknown; BL 17cm (7in); TL unknown Features: Head<br />
small & round. Teeth absent. Beak short. Legs relatively long w/ short tarsus. Wings &<br />
rectrices unknown. Biology: Very similar in overall ana<strong>to</strong>my <strong>to</strong> <strong>other</strong> confuciusornithids,<br />
but in some ways more similar <strong>to</strong> modern <strong>birds</strong> (Cau 2010a). For example, the short <strong>to</strong>rso<br />
w/ fewer vertebrae than <strong>other</strong> species & long ischium may suggest that this species is a<br />
confuciusornithid-like primitive euornithean or enantiornithean. S<strong>to</strong>mach contents reveal<br />
that this species fed at least partially on fish.<br />
Hengdaozi Great Wall Bird Changchengornis hengdaoziensis<br />
Time: 122 Ma ago Location: Liaoning, China Habitat: Upper Yixian Formation (see<br />
above) Size: WS 42cm (1.4ft); BL 20cm (8in); TL >30cm (1ft) Features: Very small. Beak<br />
long & hooked. Crown prominently round-crested. Wings short & relatively broad. Legs<br />
short w/ partially reversed hallux. Ribbon-tailed w/ single pair of rectrices smaller than in<br />
related species. Biology: Possibly semi-arboreal, but the smaller, unspecialized wings suggest<br />
a poor flier. Probably foraged primarily on the ground.<br />
Chaoyang SAPE Bird Sapeornis chaoyangensis<br />
Time: 120 Ma ago Location: Liaoning, China Habitat: Jiufotang Formation Size: WS<br />
1.4m (4.6ft); BL 45cm (1.5ft); TL unknown Features: Head high & round with narrow<br />
snout. Eyes large. Forward-pointing teeth restricted <strong>to</strong> upper jaw tip. Lower jaw <strong>to</strong>othless.<br />
Wings extremely long w/ large claws <strong>and</strong> long primaries (third primary longest, first<br />
shortest). Tail short. Legs short & s<strong>to</strong>ut. Toes w/ very large, strongly hooked talons. Hallux<br />
reversed. Biology: Fossils found in both terrestrial & lake sediments, indicating wide<br />
distribution (possibly primarily inhabiting the canopy). Adept perchers, they may have<br />
climbed up tree trunks w/ the large wing claws <strong>to</strong> escape preda<strong>to</strong>rs & spent much of their<br />
time climbing among high branches. Incapable of strong flapping flight, the extensive<br />
wings may have been used for extended gliding/soaring between trees. Herbivorous or<br />
omnivorous, probably folivores & seed-eaters, supplementing w/ fruits & invertebrates.<br />
The only well-supported member of the Omnivoropterygiformes, “omnivorous wings”, a<br />
bizarre early group of short-tailed <strong>birds</strong>, similar in some ways <strong>to</strong> the caenagnathiformes.<br />
Several additional species have been described, though they probably all represent growth<br />
stages of this single species.<br />
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