Longipteryx is a genus of prehistoric bird which lived during the Early Cretaceous (Aptian stage, 120.3 million years ago). It contains a single species, Longipteryx chaoyangensis. Its remains have been recovered from the Jiufotang Formation at Chaoyang in Liaoning Province, China. Apart from the holotype IVPP V 12325 - a fine and nearly complete skeleton — another entire skeleton (IPPV V 12552), some isolated bones (a humerus and furcula, specimens IPPV V 12553, and an ulna, IPPV V 12554) and many other specimens are known to date.[
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The name Longipteryx means "one with long feathers", from Latin longus, "long" + Ancient Greek pteryx (πτέρυξ), "wing", "feather" or "pinion". The specific name chaoyangensis is from the Latin for "from Chaoyang".
Description
Excluding the tail, Longipteryx was some 15 cm long overall in life. It had a long bill — longer than the rest of the head — with a few hooked teeth at the tip, and, as the name implies, proportionally long and strong wings. Although it was basal to the extent that it had two long separate fingers with claws and a stubby thumb, the flight apparatus was generally quite well developed, and unlike most other birds of its time it possessed uncinate processes which strengthened the ribcage. Its claws and toes were long and strong while the leg was quite short. Altogether, the ability to fly and to perch was quite sophisticated for its age, to the detriment of terrestrial locomotion: the humerus was 1.56 times the length of the femur.
The holotype retains many feather impressions, though poorly preserved; remiges do not seem to have been preserved, and what feathers remain are apparently only body feathers, and down.[ While the related Shanweiniao and some other enantiornithines preserve two, four, or eight long display feathers on the tail, the absence of such feathers in any known specimen of Longipteryx probably indicates that they were absent in this species.]
Longipteryx was Frugivore, indicated by the discovery of complete gymnosperm seeds and a lack of Gastrolith within two specimens, STM8–86 and STM8–112.[
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Classification
The affiliations of Longipteryx are not resolved. While it has been sometimes included in the Enantiornithes
A distinct order ( Longipterygiformes) and family ( Longipterygidae) has been proposed for it.[ If this is correct, they might well be considered as an order, in which case Longirostravisiformes and Longirostravisidae would become of Longipterygiformes and Longipterygidae, respectively.
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Further reading
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