Cerebavis

Cerebavis
Temporal range: Late Cretaceous, 97 Ma
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Dinosauria
Order: Saurischia
Suborder: Theropoda
Clade: Ornithurae
Genus: Cerebavis
Kurochkin et al., 2006
Species: C. cenomanicus
Binomial name
Cerebavis cenomanicus
Kurochkin et al., 2006

Cerebavis is a genus of bird that lived during the Middle Cenomanian (late Cretaceous) period, about 122 Ma ago, and is known from a single brain mold found in Volgograd Region in Russia. Once considered most likely a member of the Enantiornithes, it is notable for its unusual brain, which displays some unusual features, including a well-developed olfactory system and large cerebrum, suggesting it had a well-developed sense of smell.[1] In 2015, a reappraisal of the specimen concluded that it belonged to an ornithurine instead of an enantiornithean.[2]

References

  1. Kurochkin, E. N., Saveliev, S. V., Postnov, A. A., Pervushov, E. M. and Popov, E. V. (2006). "On the brain of a primitive bird from the Upper Cretaceous of European Russia". Paleontological Journal. 40 (6): 655–67. doi:10.1134/s0031030106060086.
  2. Walsh, Stig A.; Milner, Angela C.; Bourdon, Estelle (August 2016). "A reappraisal of Cerebavis cenomanica (Aves, Ornithurae), from Melovatka, Russia". Journal of Anatomy. 229 (2): 215–227. doi:10.1111/joa.12406.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 7/22/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.