Longipteryx Zhang, Zhou, Hou, and Gu, 2000

O’Connor, Jingmai K., Chiappe, Luis M., Gao, Chunling & Zhao, Bo, 2011, Anatomy of the Early Cretaceous enantiornithine bird Rapaxavis pani, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 56 (3), pp. 463-475 : 464

Genus Longipteryx Zhang, Zhou, Hou, and Gu, 2000 Type species: Longipteryx chaoyangensis Zhang, Zhou, Hou, and Gu, 2000 , Qidaoquanzi, Chaoyang City, Liaoning Province, Jiufotang Formation.

Diagnosis.—Small to medium−sized enantiornithine birds with the rostral portion of the skull equal to, or exceeding, 60% the total skull length; premaxilla with elongate imperforate rostral end with parallel dorsal and ventral margins; dorsal surface of premaxilla with slight concavity just rostral to the nasal processes; dentition restricted to the premaxilla and rostral−most portion of the dentary; coracoid with nearly straight lateral margin; pygostyle approaches or exceeds tarsometatarsus in length; trochleae of metatarsals II and IV extend beyond proximal surface of metatarsal III trochlea.

Phylogenetic definition.—The common ancestor of Longipteryx chaoyangensis (see Zhang et al. 2000) and Longirostravis hani (see Hou et al. 2004) plus all its descendants.

Included taxa.— Boluochia zhengi (see Zhou 1995); Longipteryx chaoyangensis (see Zhang et al. 2000); Longirostravis hani (see Hou et al. 2004); Shanweiniao cooperorum (see O’Connor et al. 2009); Rapaxavis pani (see Morschhauser et al. 2009).

Geographic and stratigraphic range.—Lingyuan, Chaoyang, and Yixian, Liaoning Province, northeastern China; Lower Cretaceous Yixian and Jiufotang formations, Jehol Group (He et al. 2004; Yang et al. 2007; Fig. 2 ).

Figures

Fig. 2. A map of Liaoning province, China (A), indicating the approximate location of longipterygid bearing deposits (B).