Songzia

Taxobox
name = "Songzia"
fossil_range = Eocene
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
subclassis = Neornithes
ordo = Gruiformes
familia = Songziidae (but see text)
familia_authority =
genus = "Songzia" (but see text)
genus_authority =
species = "S. heidangkouensis" (but see text)
binomial = "Songzia heidangkouensis"
binomial_authority =

"Songzia" is the name given to a genus of gruiform bird related to rails. It lived in the Eocene epoch. Though many families traditionally assigned to the Gruiformes do not seem to actually belong there, this is apparently not the case with this animal. Its fossils have been found in Songzi county (Hubei Province People's Republic of China).

A single species is known and has been named "Songzia heidangkouensis". Hovever, the names for species, genus and family have been first published in a newsletter and only subsequently in a scientific journal that fulfils the ICZN's requirements for publishing new scientific names. Hence, they are often considered "nomina nuda".