Re: Chinese Boid Watching...

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 6/2/99 4:08:49 PM EST, 102354.2222@compuserve.com writes:

<<  Jeez, if they keep naming new birds at this rate, they'll catch up
 with the non-avian dinosaurs!  ;-D >>

I have received the following paper (thanks, Masahiro!) with some stuff 
germane to all this:

Wang Xiaolin, Wang Yuanqing, Jin Fan, Xu Xing & Wang Yuan, 1999. "Vertebrate 
asemblages of the Jehol biota in western Liaoning, China," Proceedings of the 
Seventh Annual Meeting of the Chinese Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, 
Wang Yuanqing & Deng Tao, eds., China Ocean Press, Beijing: 1-12 [in Chinese 
with English abstract].

Radiometric dates are given for four separate Liaoning assemblages. I will 
list assemblages, dates, and archosaurian faunal elements here, following 
abstract. Note >variant spellings< of some new bird names; I would guess (but 
cannot confirm) that some of these variant spellings are in fact the correct 
spellings, since they're better formed than the ones I have on file.

[1] Confuciusornnis-Sinosauropteryx-Zhangheotherium Assemblage
Jianshangou bed of lower Yixian Formation, Sihetun; dated 125.42+-0.08Ma and 
125.52+-0.07Ma (two different tuff samples), middle Barremian, Early 
Cretaceous
Pterosaurs: Eosipterus yangi, Dendrorhynchoides curvidentatus, 
Pterodactyloidea gen. & sp. nov.
Dinosaurs: Sauropoda indet., Sinosauropteryx prima, Caudipteryx zoui, 
Protarchaeopteryx robusta, Dromaeosauridae gen. & sp. nov., Therizinosauridae 
gen. & sp. nov. [this is probably Beipiaosaurus inexpectus, just described 
last week], Psittacosaurus sp.
Avialan birds: Confuciusornis sanctus, Confuciusornis sunae [variant], 
Confuciusornis chuonzhous, Confuciusornis sp., Liaoningornis longiditris 
[variant], Eoenantiornithes buhleri [variant]

[2] Monjurosuchus-Hyphalosaurus-Liaoxiornis Assemblage
Daxinfangxi-Dawangzhangzi area in Lingyuan, Pingquan-Lingyuan Basin, middle 
of Yixian Formation; date for Dawangzhangzi Bed is 122.2+-0.2Ma to 
122.5+-0.3Ma, late Barremian, Early Cretaceous
Dinosaurs: Sauropoda indet., Theropoda indet.
Avialan birds: Liaoxiornis delicatus

[3] Lycoptera muroii-Manchurochelys manchouensis Assemblage
Jingangshan Bed of upper Yixian Formation, Yixian County of Fuxin-Yixian 
Basin; dated 121.4+-1.1Ma to 121.6+-0.4Ma (volcanic breccia), late Barremian, 
Early Cretaceous
No archosaurs

[4] Cathayornis-Chaoyangia-Psittacosaurus Assemblage
Jiufotang Formation of Boluochi & Meileyingzi in Chaoyang, Beipiao-Changyang 
Basin; dated as older than 110+-0.52Ma for overlying basalt, late Aptian, 
late Early Cretaceous
Dinosaurs: Sauropoda indet., Psittacosaurus meileyingensis, Psittacosaurus 
mongoliensis
Avialan birds: Sinornis santensis, Boluochia zhengi, Cathayornis yandica, 
Cathayornis caudatus [variant], Longchengornis sanyanensis [variant], 
Cuspirostrisornis houi [new species to me; have it as Cuspirostrisornis 
jinfengi], Largirostrornis sexdentoris [variant], Chaoyangia beishanensis, 
Songlingornis linghensis