RE: Enantiophoenix

[Tim Williams <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

> Cau, A., and Arduini, P. 2008. Enantiophoenix electrophyla gen. et sp. nov.
> (Aves, Enantiornithes) from the Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of Lebanon and
> its phylogenetic relationships. Atti della Società Italiana di Scienze
> Naturali e del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano 149(2):293-324.
>
> ABSTRACT: The phylogenetic affinities of a new enantiornithine bird,
> Enantiophoenix electrophyla gen. et sp. nov. from the Cenomanian of Lebanon,
> are reviewed. It differs from other known Mesozoic birds on the basis of two
> scapular autapomorphies. The inclusion of Enantiophoenix in a phylogenetic
> analysis of Mesozoic birds indicates that it is a basal member of a clade of
> enantiornithines, Avisauridae, whose known distribution includes North
> America, Europe and Gondwana.


Nice name... '_Enantiophoenix_' alludes to both its provenance 
(Lebanon/Phoenicia) and the mythical bird (phoenix).  If only all new Mesozoic 
bird names were so inspired (_Alethoalaornis_ and _Aberratiodontus_, I'm 
looking at you).  I also like the choice of Euornithes and Enantiornithes as 
the names of the two ornithothoracean sister taxa, following Sereno.  

_Enantiophoenix_ seems like a bona fide percher.  Just like other avisaurids, 
as well as _Sinornis_ (the sister taxon to Avisauridae in this analysis).  The 
analysis also recovers _Aberratiodontus_ as a euornithean close to _Yanornis_, 
as suggested previously.


Cheers

Tim



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