Orientornis

Orientornis
Temporal range: Late Miocene
Pelvic girdle of Orientornis linxiaensis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Infraclass: Palaeognathae
Order: Struthioniformes
Family: Struthionidae
Genus: †Orientornis
Wang, 2008
Type species
†Orientornis linxiaensis
Synonyms

Struthio linxiaensis Hou et al., 2005

Orientornis is an extinct species of ratite from the Miocene of China.

Description

Remains of a pelvis, including a synsacrum, were recovered from mudstone in the Linxia Basin, Guanghe County, Gansu Province, northwest China. Based on the size of these remains, it is believed to have been slightly larger than Struthio camelus. When this bird lived, the area is believed to have been either open grasslands or wetlands.

Taxonomy

Orientornis was originally named as a species of Struthio, S. linxiaensis, by Hou et al. (2005). However, Wang (2008) placed the taxon in its own genus, Orientornis.

Mikhailov and Zelenkov (2020) have disputed the validity of this genus, treating Orientornis as a junior synonym of Struthio, and noting that a direct comparison with Struthio wimani is required, as both taxa may represent the same species.

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Hou, L. et al. (2005)
  2. ↑ Wang S. 2008. Rediscussion in the taxonomic assignment of Struthio linxiaensis Hou, et al., 2005. Acta Paleotologica Sinica 47:362–368.
  3. ↑ Mikhailov, Konstantin E.; Zelenkov, Nikita (September 2020). "The late Cenozoic history of the ostriches (Aves: Struthionidae), as revealed by fossil eggshell and bone remains". Earth-Science Reviews. 208 103270. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2020.103270.

References