Ichthyornis

Ichthyornis
Temporal range: Late Cretaceous,[1] 95–83.5 Ma
Cast skeleton, Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: Theropoda
Clade: Avialae
Clade: Ornithurae
Clade: Ichthyornithes
Genus: Ichthyornis
Marsh, 1873
Species:
I. dispar
Binomial name
Ichthyornis dispar
(Marsh, 1872)
Synonyms

Angelinornis Kashin 1972
Colonosaurus Marsh, 1872c
Plegadornis Wetmore 1962 (preoccupied)

Species synonymy
  • Graculavus anceps Marsh, 1872a
  • Ichthyornis anceps (Marsh 1872a) Marsh 1872b
  • Colonosaurus mudgei Marsh, 1872c
  • Graculavus agilis Marsh, 1873b
  • Ichthyornis agilis (Marsh, 1873b) Marsh 1880
  • Ichthyornis victor Marsh, 1876
  • Ichthyornis validus Marsh, 1880
  • Plegadornis antecessor Wetmore, 1962
  • Angelinornis antecessor (Wetmore, 1962) Kashin 1972
  • Ichthyornis antecessor (Wetmore, 1962) Olson 1975

Ichthyornis (meaning "fish bird", after its fish-like vertebrae) is an extinct genus of toothy seabird-like ornithuran from the late Cretaceous period of North America. Its fossil remains are known from the chalks of Alberta, Alabama, Kansas (Greenhorn Limestone), New Mexico, Saskatchewan, and Texas, in strata that were laid down in the Western Interior Seaway during the Turonian through Campanian ages, about 95–83.5 million years ago. Ichthyornis is a common component of the Niobrara Formation fauna, and numerous specimens have been found.

Ichthyornis has been historically important in shedding light on bird evolution. It was the first known prehistoric bird relative preserved with teeth, and Charles Darwin noted its significance during the early years of the theory of evolution. Ichthyornis remains important today as it is one of the few Mesozoic era ornithurans known from more than a few specimens.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference clarke2004 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).