Ichthyornis
Toothed seabird-like ornithuran from the Late Cretaceous.
Ichthyornis (meaning 'fish bird', after its fish-like vertebrae) is an extinct genus of toothy seabird-like ornithuran from the Late Cretaceous of North America. Its fossil remains are known from the chalks of Alberta, Alabama, Kansas, New Mexico, Saskatchewan, and Texas, in strata laid down in the Western Interior Seaway, spanning from the Cenomanian to the Campanian ages. Ichthyornis is a common component of the Niobrara Formation fauna, and numerous specimens have been found. It has been historically important in shedding light on bird evolution, as it was the first known prehistoric bird relative preserved with teeth, and Charles Darwin noted its significance during the early years of the theory of evolution.
- field
- Paleontology
- known_for
- First known prehistoric bird relative with teeth; key evidence for evolution
- time_period
- Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian to Campanian, about 93 to 83.5 million years ago)
Lore & Background
Mudge originally intended to ship the specimen to paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope, but after being contacted by Othniel Charles Marsh—Cope's rival in the Bone Wars—Mudge changed the address and sent it to Marsh instead. Marsh classified Ichthyornis in a new sub-class of birds called Odontornithes (toothed birds) and the new order Ichthyornithes.
Reader's Guide
Ichthyornis remains important today as one of the few Mesozoic ornithurans known from more than a few specimens, and it represents one of the closest non-avian relatives of modern birds. Its combination of modern-looking wings and breastbone with reptilian teeth provided early and powerful support for Darwin's theory of evolution. The species appears to have increased in size over the several million years it inhabited the Western Interior Seaway, with earlier specimens smaller than later ones. A study of an Ichthyornis endocast reveals it had a relatively basal brain compared to modern birds, similar to that of Archaeopteryx, but a palate convergent with modern neognaths.
Did You Know?
- Ichthyornis means 'fish bird' because its vertebrae are concave both in front and back, similar to some fish.
- Its beak was compound, made up of several distinct plates like an albatross, rather than a single sheet of keratin as in most modern birds.
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