Protopteryx

Protopteryx
Temporal range: Early Cretaceous, 131 Ma
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Fossil specimen, National Museum of Natural Science
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: Theropoda
Clade: Avialae
Clade: †Enantiornithes
Order: †Protopterygiformes
Zhang & Zhou, 2006
Family: †Protopterygidae
Zhang & Zhou, 2006
Genus: †Protopteryx
Zhang & Zhou, 2000
Species:
†P. fengningensis
Binomial name
†Protopteryx fengningensis
Zhang & Zhou, 2000

Protopteryx is an extinct bird and possibly the basalmost enantiornithean, from the Cretaceous period.[1] The type species is P. fengningensis.[2] It was first discovered in the Sichakou Member of the Yixian Formation or Huajiying Formation of Hebei Province, northern China,[3] dating from 131 Ma ago.[4] Protopteryx has been found in the Daibeigou formation, as well.[5] The name Protopteryx means "primitive feather":[6] "proto-" meaning "the first of" and "-pteryx" meaning "feather" or "wing." The name comes from the fact that Protopteryx feathers are more primitive than those of modern birds, such as the two elongated tail feathers that lack barbs and rami.[7]

  1. ^ Zhou, Zhonghe. (2002). "A new and primitive enantiornithine bird from the Early Cretaceous of China." Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 22(1): 49-57.
  2. ^ Zhang, Fucheng; Zhou, Zhonghe (2000). "A Primitive Enantiornithine Bird and the Origin of Feathers". Science. 290 (5498): 1955–1959. Bibcode:2000Sci...290.1955Z. doi:10.1126/science.290.5498.1955. PMID 11110660.
  3. ^ Jin, F.; Zhang, F.C.; Li, Z.H.; Zhang, J.Y.; Li, C.; Zhou, Z.H. (2008). "On the horizon of Protopteryx and the early vertebrate fossil assemblages of the Jehol Biota". Chinese Science Bulletin. 53 (18): 2820–2827. Bibcode:2008SciBu..53.2820J. doi:10.1007/s11434-008-0209-5.
  4. ^ O'Connor, J.K., Zhou Z. and Zhang F. (In press). "A reappraisal of Boluochia zhengi (Aves: Enantiornithes) and a discussion of intraclade diversity in the Jehol avifauna, China." Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, (published online before print 16 December 2010). doi:10.1080/14772019.2010.512614
  5. ^ Zhiheng Li, Zhonghe Zhou, Min Wang, Julia A. Clarke, (2014). "A New Specimen of Large-Bodied Basal Enantiornithine Bohaiornis from the Early Cretaceous of China and the Inference of Feeding Ecology in Mesozoic Birds." Journal of Paleontology, 88: 99-108.
  6. ^ A Primitive Enantiornithine Bird and the Origin of Feathers Fucheng Zhang and Zhonghe Zhou Science 8 December 2000: 290 (5498), 1955-1959. [DOI:10.1126/science.290.5498.1955]
  7. ^ Zhou, Zhonghe, and Fucheng Zhang. "Origin of feathers–perspectives from fossil evidence." Science Progress 84, no. 2 (2001): 87-104.