Orientornis

Orientornis Temporal range: late Miocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Late Miocene
Pelvis
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Infraclass:	Palaeognathae
Order:	Struthioniformes
Family:	Struthionidae
Genus:	†Orientornis Wang 2008
Type species
Orientornis linxiaensis (Hou et al. 2005) Wang 2008
Synonyms
Struthio linxiaensis Hou et al. 2005[1]

Orientornis is an extinct species of ratite from the Miocene of China.[1]

Description

Remains of a pelvis, including a synsacrum, were recovered from mudstone in the Linxia Basin, Guanghe County, Gansu Province, northwest China. Based on the size of these remains, it is believed to have been slightly larger than Struthio camelus. When this bird lived, the area is believed to have been either open grasslands or wetlands.[1]

Taxonomy

Orientornis was originally named as a species of Struthio, S. linxiaensis, by Hou et al. (2005).[1] However, Wang (2008) placed the taxon in its own genus, Orientornis.[2]

Footnotes

1. Hou, L. et al. (2005)
2. Wang S. 2008. Rediscussion in the taxonomic assignment of Struthio linxiaensis Hou, et al., 2005. Acta Paleotologica Sinica 47:362–368.

References

• Hou, L.; Zhou, Z.; Zhang, F.; Wang, Z. (Aug 2005). "A Miocene ostrich fossil from Gansu Province, northwest China". Chinese Science Bulletin. 50 (16): 1808–1810. Bibcode:2005ChSBu..50.1808H. doi:10.1360/982005-575 (inactive 9 December 2024). ISSN 1861-9541. S2CID 129449364.