Archaeorhynchus

:"For the prehistoric weevil genus, see "Archaeorrhynchus.

Taxobox
name = "Archaeorhynchus"
status = fossil
fossil_range = Early Cretaceous (Aptian)
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
subclassis = Ornithurae
genus = "Archaeorhynchus"
genus_authority = Zhou & Zhang, 2006
species = "A. spathula"
binomial = "Archaeorhynchus spathula"
binomial_authority = Zhou & Zhang, 2006

"Archaeorhynchus" is a prehistoric bird genus from the Early Cretaceous. The single known species, "Archaeorhynchus spathula" [Etymology: "Archaeorhynchus", "ancient bill", from Ancient Greek "archaios" ("αρχαίος") + "rhynchos" ("ῥύγχος"Verify source|date=November 2007 ). "spathula", Latinized Ancient Greek "small "spatha" sword", referring to the dentary bone's shape.] lived about 122 million years ago, in the Aptian. Found in Yixian Formation rocks at Yixian (Yizhou), Liaoning province (PRC), the holotype is a finely-preserved essentially complete assoiated skeleton.

This is one of the earliest ornithurines, proving how early the ancestors of all living birds must have constituted a lineage distinct from most other Mesozoic birds.

Gastroliths were found in its body cavity, hinting at a herbivorous diet.

Footnotes

External links

* oficina.cienciaviva.pt: [http://oficina.cienciaviva.pt/~pw011/jazidas/archaeorrhynchus.gastrolitos.zhou.2006.coppy.jpgPhoto of holotype] . Note gastroliths (indicated "GS"). Retrieved 2007-NOV-2.