A reappraisal ofBoluochia zhengi(Aves: Enantiornithes) and a discussion of intraclade diversity in the Jehol avifauna, China

2011/02/28 by Jingmai K. O’Connor, Zhonghe Zhou, Fucheng Zhang · 6 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Evolution and Paleontology Studies #Ichthyology and Marine Biology #Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology

paper · doi:10.1080/14772019.2010.512614

openalex publication_date 2011/02/28 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29

Abstract

A careful reappraisal of the only known specimen of the poorly understood fossil enantiornithine bird Boluochia zhengi reveals numerous morphological similarities that suggest this taxon is closely related to the well-known Longipteryx chaoyangensis, and so is assignable to the most diverse recognized clade of Early Cretaceous enantiornithines, the Longipterygidae. This new study of the holotype of B. zhengi reveals new longipterygid synapomorphies and expands our knowledge of the temporal and geographical ranges and diversity of the clade. We suggest that the trophic specialization that characterizes longipterygids may have been a major factor contributing to the success of this clade.

Citations

• Anatomy of the primitive bird Sapeornis chaoyangensis from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning, China
• Insight into diversity, body size and morphological evolution from the largest Early Cretaceous enantiornithine bird
• Insight into the evolution of avian flight from a new clade of Early Cretaceous ornithurines from China and the morphology of Yixianornis grabaui
• Bone microstructure and developmental plasticity in birds and other dinosaurs
• Description of a new enantiornithine bird from the Early Cretaceous of Hebei, northern China
• A reassessment of Sinornis santensis and Cathayornis yandica (Aves: Enantiornithes). In Proceedings of the VII International Meeting of the Society of Avian Paleontology and Evolution, ed. W.E. Boles and T.H. Worthy

Cited by

• A redescription ofChaoyangia beishanensis(Aves) and a comprehensive phylogeny of Mesozoic birds
• Praeornis sharovi Rautian, 1978 a fossil feather from the early Late Jurassic of Kazakhstan
• A historical specimen of enantiornithine bird from the Early Cretaceous of Mongolia representing a new taxon with a specialized neck morphology
• Boluochia [wikipedia]
• Protopteryx [wikipedia]
• Pygostylia [wikipedia]