Scaniacypselus

Scaniacypselus
Temporal range: Eocene Ypresian [1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Clade: Strisores
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Apodidae
Genus: Scaniacypselus
Harrison, 1984
Type species
Scaniacypselus wardi
Harrison, 1984
Species
  • Scaniacypselus szarskii (Peters, 1985)
  • Scaniacypselus wardi Harrison, 1984

Scaniacypselus is an extinct genus of basal swifts from the Eocene of Denmark, Germany and France. Many well preserved specimens still showing plumage were discovered in the Messel Pit near Darmstadt, Germany. Species of Scaniacypselus had relatively broader wings than modern swifts and hindlimbs better adapted to perching on tree-branches, indicating that the bird was not as aerial as its extant relatives and likely nested in trees like hummingbirds and treeswifts. Two species are recognized, S. wardi and S. szarskii.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference M15 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).