RE: New Chinese Early Cretaceous bird taxa...

[Michael Mortimer <mickey_mortimer111@msn.com>]

> Zhou Zong-He & Zhang Fu-Cheng, 2006.  Mesozoic birds of China: a synoptic 
> review.  Vertebrata PalAsiatica 44 (1): 74-98.  
> http://www.ivpp.ac.cn/pdf/magazine196.pdf

Yandangornis' description is said to show "no diagnosis of birds", thus the 
authors ignore it.  At least it's finally mentioned again in the literature.

No reason is given for sinking Jixiangornis into Shenzhouraptor/Jeholornis, 
so while I view this as possibly correct, I don't think the synonymy should 
be viewed as secure yet.  Jeholornithiformes might prove useful for 
containing Jixiangornis, Yandangornis and perhaps Rahonavis, in addition to 
Shenzhouraptor.  The best thing about this paper is the great photo of 
Shenzhouraptor's feet.

Omnivoropteryx is not mentioned, and Sapeornithiformres and Sapeornithidae 
are probably junior synonyms of Omnivoropterygiformes and 
Omnivoropterygidae.

Among the taxonomic/phylogenetic problems- Confuciusornis suniae is 
presented as a valid species, Jibeinia is a protopterygid, Cathayornis and 
Sinornis are kept separate, Liaoxiornis is kept in its own order, and 
Chaoyangia is still placed in Ornithurae sensu BAND.  In all, their taxonomy 
is full of para(poly?)phyletic generalized groups mixed with derived 
monospecific groups.

Missing taxa include Aberratiodontus, "Cathayornis" caudatus, "C" 
aberransis, Cuspirostrisornis, Largirostrornis, Longchengornis and 
Hongshanornis.

Mickey Mortimer