Musivavis

Musivavis
Temporal range: Early Cretaceous,
(Aptian), 122–118.9 Ma
↓
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: Theropoda
Clade: Avialae
Clade: †Enantiornithes
Clade: †Euenantiornithes
Genus: †Musivavis
Wang et al., 2022
Species:
†M. amabilis
Binomial name
†Musivavis amabilis
Wang et al., 2022

Musivavis (meaning "mosaic bird") is a genus of euenantiornithine bird from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) Jiufotang Formation of Liaoning Province, China. The genus contains a single species, Musivavis amabilis, known from a nearly complete, articulated skeleton.[1]

Discovery and naming

The Musivavis holotype specimen, MHGU-3000, was discovered in a layer of the Jiufotang Formation of Chaoyang, Liaoning Province, China. This specimen consists of a nearly complete specimen, preserved on a single slab.[1]

In 2022, Wang et al. described Musivavis amabilis, a new genus and species of enantiornthine, based on these fossil remains. The generic name, "Musivavis", combines the Latin "musivum", meaning "mosaic", and "avis", meaning "bird". The specific name, "amabilis", is a Latin word meaning "lovely" or "beautiful", in reference to the preservation quality of the holotype.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wang, Xuri; Cau, Andrea; Luo, Xiaoling; Kundrát, Martin; Wu, Wensheng; Ju, Shubin; Guo, Zhen; Liu, Yichuan; Ji, Qiang (2022-02-11). "A new bohaiornithid-like bird from the Lower Cretaceous of China fills a gap in enantiornithine disparity". Journal of Paleontology. 96 (4): 961–976. Bibcode:2022JPal...96..961W. doi:10.1017/jpa.2022.12. ISSN 0022-3360.