Aves - Neornithes - Lithornithidae
Full reference: P. W. Houde. 1988. Paleognathous birds from the Early Tertiary of the Northern Hemisphere. Publications of the Nuttall Ornithological Club 22:1-148
Parent taxon: Palaeognathae according to G. Mayr 2022
See also Houde 1988, Livezey and Zusi 2007, Mayr 2005, Mayr 2007, Mayr 2008, Mayr 2009 and Nesbitt and Clarke 2016
Sister taxa: Aepyornithiformes, Ambiortiformes, Crypturi, Eremopezidae, Lithornidae, Medioolithidae, Palaeocursornithiformes, Patagopterygiformes, Ratitae, Remiornithidae, Remiornithiformes, Rheiformes, Struthioniformes
Subtaxa: Calciavis Fissuravis Lithornis Paracathartes Pseudocrypturus
Ecology: ground dwelling carnivore
Distribution:
• Eocene of Denmark (1 collection), Germany (1), the United Kingdom (5), United States (4: Wyoming)
• Paleocene of Belgium (1), France (1), Germany (1), the United Kingdom (1), United States (3: California, Montana, Wyoming)
Total: 18 collections including 21 occurrences