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Neoaves

Osteichthyes

Taxonomy
Neoaves was named by Sibley et al. (1988). It is extant.

It was assigned to Neognathae by Bertelli et al. (2010); and to Neognathae by Clarke et al. (2005), Slack et al. (2006), Lindow and Dyke (2006), Livezey and Zusi (2007), Mayr (2009), Musser and Clarke (2020).

Subtaxa
Aequorlitornithes, Fluvioviridavidae, Nahmavis, Natatores, Terrestrornithes
Sister taxa
Aequorlitornithes, Natatores, Terrestrornithes

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1988Neoaves Sibley and et al.
2005Neoaves Clarke et al. p. 307
2006Neoaves Lindow and Dyke p. 485
2006Neoaves Slack et al. p. 1150
2007Neoaves Livezey and Zusi p. 90
2009Neoaves Mayr p. 14 figs. Figure 3.1
2010Neoaves Bertelli et al.
2020Neoaves Musser and Clarke

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
classOsteichthyes
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
—Reptiliomorpha
—Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
—Cotylosauria()
—Amniota
—Sauropsida
classReptilia
subclassEureptilia()
—Romeriida
—Diapsida()
—Archosauromorpha(Huene 1946)
RankNameAuthor
—Crocopoda
—ArchosauriformesGauthier 1986
—Eucrocopoda
—Archosauria()
informalAvemetatarsalia
—Ornithodira
—Dinosauromorpha
—Dinosauriformes
—Dinosauria()
—Saurischia()
—Theropoda()
—Neotheropoda
—AverostraPaul 2002
—Tetanurae
—Coelurosauria()
—Maniraptora
—Paraves
classAves
subclassNeornithesGadow 1893
—Neognathae(Pycraft 1900)
—NeoavesSibley et al. 1988
—NeoavesSibley et al. 1988

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Unr. Neoaves Sibley 1988
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Unr. Aequorlitornithes Prum et al. 2015
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Invalid names: Ardeae [empty]
Fm. †Fluvioviridavidae Mayr 2005
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G. †Eurofluvioviridavis Mayr 2005
+
G. †Fluvioviridavis Mayr and Daniels 2001
+
†Fluvioviridavis michaeldanielsi Mayr and Kitchener 2025
†Fluvioviridavis nazensis Mayr and Kitchener 2025
†Fluvioviridavis platyrhamphus Mayr and Daniels 2001
G. †Nahmavis Musser and Clarke 2020
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†Nahmavis grandei Musser and Clarke 2020
Unr. Natatores Baird 1858
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Unr. Pygopodotubinares Livezey and Zusi 2007
+
Superor. Gaviomorphae Livezey and Zusi 2007
+
Or. Podicipediformes Fürbringer 1888 [grebe]
+
Fm. Podicipedidae Bonaparte 1831
Unr. Steganograllatores Livezey and Zusi 2007
+
+
Or. Ardeiformes Wagler 1831
+
Invalid names: Cochleariidae Ridgway 1887 [empty]
Unr. Terrestrornithes Livezey and Zusi 2007
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+
Unr. Anomalogonates Garrod 1874
+
Unr. Coccyges Huxley 1867
+
Superor. Cuculimorphae Sibley 1988
Unr. Incessores Baird 1858
+
Superor. Cypselomorphae Huxley 1867
Unr. Picoclamatores Livezey and Zusi 2007
+
Superor. Passerimorphae Sibley 1988
Unr. Trogones Livezey and Zusi 2007
+
Superor. Trogonomorphae Livezey and Zusi 2007
Unr. Raptores Baird 1858
+
+
Or. Strigiformes Wagler 1830 [owl]
Invalid names: Cathartides Coues 1884 [empty]
+
Superor. Charadriimorphae Huxley 1867
+
Or. Gruiformes Bonaparte 1854
+
G. †Anisolornis Ameghino 1891
Fm. Aramidae Bonaparte 1854 [limpkin]
G. †Asiavis Nessov 1986
G. †Bumbanipes Zelenkov 2021
G. †Bumbaniralla Zelenkov 2021
Subor. Cariamae Fürbringer 1888
Subor. Eurypygae
Subor. Grues Bonaparte 1854
Fm. Gruidae Vigors 1825 [crane]
Fm. Heliornithidae Gray 1841
G. †Horezmavis Nessov and Borkin 1983
Fm. †Nesotrochidae Stervander et al. 2025
Fm. Psophiidae Bonaparte 1831
Fm. Rallidae Vigors 1825 [rail]
Fm. †Salmilidae Mayr 2002
G. †Morsoravis Bertelli et al. 2010
+
†Morsoravis sedilis Bertelli et al. 2010
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Subor. †Ralli
Superfm. Ralloidae Rafinesque 1815
Invalid names: Turniciformes Sibley and Ahlquist 1990 [empty]
Diagnosis
No diagnoses are available
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: hydroxyapatiteo
Entire body: yeso
Adult length: 10 to < 100o
Adult width: 1.0 to < 10o
Adult height: 1.0 to < 10o
Architecture: compact or denseo
Ontogeny: accretion, modification of partso
Grouping: solitaryo
Environment: terrestrialo
Locomotion: actively mobileo
Life habit: ground dwellingo
Diet: carnivoresubo
Reproduction: oviparouso
Dispersal: direct/internalo
Dispersal 2: mobileo
Created: 2009-01-03 20:39:15
Modified: 2009-01-03 22:39:15
Source: subo = suborder, o = order
References: Marsh 1875, Kiessling 2004, Benton 1983

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Early/Lower Cenomanian to the top of the Holocene or 100.50000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 93.9 Ma

Collections (1142 total)

Oldest occurrences

Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Early/Lower Cenomanian100.5 - 93.9Uzbekistan (Navoi) Horezmavis eocretacea (58208)
Campanian83.6 - 72.2USA (North Carolina) Oena plana (190555)
Torrejonian63.4 - 60.9USA (New Mexico) Tsidiiyazhi abini (187009)
Middle Paleocene61.66 - 59.24China (Anhui) Wanshuina lii (132698)
Selandian61.66 - 59.24France (Auvergne) Songziidae indet., Ralloidea indet., Messelasturidae indet. (113685)
Selandian61.66 - 59.24Germany (Saxony-Anhalt) Walbeckornis creber, Walbeckornis sp. A, Walbeckornis sp. B, Gradiornis walbeckensis, Berruornis sp., Aves indet. (74643)
Selandian61.66 - 59.24Belgium Ralloidea indet. (68431)
Tiffanian60.9 - 57.5USA (Colorado) Ogygoptynx wetmorei (14967)
Late/Upper Paleocene59.24 - 56.0France (Oise) Ralloidea indet. (166598)
Thanetian59.24 - 56.0France (Champagne-Ardenne) Berruornis orbisantiqui (68428 87925)
Clarkforkian57.5 - 56.0USA (Wyoming) Eobucco sp. (133237)
Lysitean56.0 - 51.1USA (Wyoming) Eostrix martinellii (74295)
Wasatchian56.0 - 51.1USA (Virginia) Messelornis sp., Eostrix gulottai, Trogoniformes indet., Parvicuculus sp., Zygodactylidae indet., Eocypselidae indet., Pulchrapollia sp., Halcyornithidae indet., Messelasturidae gen. et sp. indet. A, Messelasturidae gen. et sp. indet. B (15595)
Wasatchian56.0 - 51.1USA (Wyoming) Aves indet. (46797) Celericolius acriala (224383) Eocypselus rowei (15664) Eogruidae indet. (15590) Fluvioviridavis platyrhamphus, Eozygodactylus americanus (15853) Foro panarium (206868) Palaeorallus troxelli (74333) Primobucco kistneri (67863) Primobucco mcgrewi (81452)
Early/Lower Eocene56.0 - 48.07Mongolia (Omnogov) Bumbanipes aramoides, Bumbaniralla walbeckornithoides, Eostrix tsaganica (114685)
Early/Lower Eocene56.0 - 48.07United Kingdom (England) Musophagidae indet. (38951)
Early/Lower Eocene56.0 - 48.07China (Hubei) Songzia acutunguis (209403) Songzia heidangkouensis (35927)
Early/Lower Eocene56.0 - 48.07Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) Paleopsilopterus itaboraiensis, Itaboravis elaphrocnemoides, Eutreptodactylus itaboraiensis (118314)
Early/Lower Eocene56.0 - 48.07USA (Wyoming) Nahmavis grandei (200465) Primobucco olsoni (81453)
MP 8 + 956.0 - 48.07France (Picardie) Primobucconidae indet. (84997)