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Palaeognathae

Reptilia

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1900Palaeognathae Pycraft
1988Palaeognathae Carroll
2000Palaeognathae Kurochkin p. 547
2003Palaeognathae Meyer and Zardoya
2005Palaeognathae Clarke et al. p. 307
2006Palaeognathae Lindow and Dyke p. 485
2006Palaeognathae Slack et al. p. 1150
2007Palaeognathae Livezey and Zusi p. 89
2009Palaeognathae Mayr p. 14 figs. Figure 3.1
2016Palaeognathae Nesbitt and Clarke
2022Palaeognathae Mayr p. 29

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Life
Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
Tetrapoda
Reptiliomorpha
Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
Sauropsida
classReptilia
subclassEureptilia()
RankNameAuthor
Romeriida
Diapsida()
Archosauromorpha(Huene 1946)
Crocopoda
ArchosauriformesGauthier 1986
Eucrocopoda
Archosauria()
informalAvemetatarsalia
Ornithodira
Dinosauromorpha
Dinosauriformes
Dinosauria()
Theropoda()
Tetanurae
Coelurosauria()
Maniraptora
Paraves
classAves
subclassNeornithesGadow 1893
superorderPalaeognathaePycraft 1900
superorderPalaeognathaePycraft 1900

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.

Superor. Palaeognathae Pycraft 1900
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Fm. †Aepyornithidae Bonaparte 1853 [elephant bird]
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G. †Aepyornis Geoffroy 1850
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Aepyornis hildebrandti Burckhardt 1893
Aepyornis maximus Geoffroy Saint Hilaire 1850
Aepyornis medius Milne-Edwards and Grandidier 1869
G. †Mullerornis Milne-Edwards and Grandidier 1894
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Mullerornis agilis Milne-Edwards and Grandidier 1894
Mullerornis betsilei Milne-Edwards and Grandidier 1894
Mullerornis rudis Milne-Edwards and Grandidier 1894
Or. †Ambiortiformes Kurochkin 1982
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Invalid names: Ambiortidae Kurochkin 1982 [empty]
Unr. Crypturi Goodchild
+
+
Or. Tinamiformes Huxley 1872 [tinamou]
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Fm. Tinamidae Gray 1840 [tinamou]
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G. Crypturellus Brabourne and Chubb 1914
G. Eudromia Geoffroy 1832
G. Nothocercus Bonaparte 1856
G. Nothoprocta Sclater and Salvin 1873
G. Nothura Wagler 1827
G. Rhynchotus Spix 1825
G. †Roveretornis Brodkorb 1961 [tinamou]
G. Taoniscus Gloger 1842
G. †Tinamisornis Rovereto 1914
G. Tinamotis Vigors 1837
G. Tinamus Herrmann 1783
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Invalid names: Crypturus Illiger 1811 [synonym]
Fm. †Eremopezidae Rothschild 1911
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G. †Eremopezus Andrews 1904
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Eremopezus eocaenus Andrews 1904
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Invalid names: Stromeria fajumensis Lambrecht 1929 [synonym]
Invalid names: Stromeria Lambrecht 1929 [synonym]
G. †Psammornis Andrews 1911
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Psammornis libycus Moltoni 1928
Psammornis rothschildi Andrews 1911
Fm. †Lithornithidae Houde 1988
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G. †Calciavis Nesbitt and Clarke 2016
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Calciavis grandei Nesbitt and Clarke 2016
G. †Fissuravis Mayr 2007
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Fissuravis weigelti Mayr 2007
G. †Lithornis Owen 1840
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Lithornis celetius Houde 1988
Lithornis hookeri Harrison 1984
Lithornis nasi Harrison 1984
Lithornis plebius Houde 1988
Lithornis promiscuus Houde 1988
Lithornis vulturinus Owen 1840
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Invalid names: Pediorallus barbarae Harrison and Walker 1977 [synonym], Promusophaga magnifica Harrison and Walker 1977 [synonym]
G. †Paracathartes Harrison 1979
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Paracathartes howardae Harrison 1979
G. †Pseudocrypturus Houde 1988
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Fm. Medioolithidae Kohring and Hirsch 1996
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G. †Medioolithus Kohring and Hirsch 1996
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Medioolithus geiseltalensis Kohring and Hirsch 1996
Or. †Palaeocursornithiformes Kessler and Jurcsák 1986
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Fm. †Palaeocursornithidae Jurcsák and Kessler 1988
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Invalid names: Cursornithidae Kessler and Jurcsák 1985 [replaced], Limnornithidae Kessler and Jurcsák 1984 [replaced]
Invalid names: Cursornithiformes Jurcsák and Kessler 1985 [replaced], Limnornithiformes Kessler and Jurcsák 1984 [replaced]
Or. †Patagopterygiformes Alvarenga and Bonaparte 1992
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Invalid names: Patagopterygidae Alvarenga and Bonaparte 1992 [empty]
Unr. Ratitae Merrem 1813
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+
Or. Apterygiformes [kiwi]
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Fm. Apterygidae Gray 1840
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G. Apteryx Huxley 1867 [kiwi]
G. †Metapteryx De Vis 1892
G. †Proapteryx Worthy et al. 2013
G. †Pseudapteryx Lydekker 1891
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Fm. †Dinornithidae Bonaparte 1853
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G. †Dinornis Owen 1843
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Invalid names: Moa Reichenbach 1852 [synonym], Palapteryx Owen 1848 [synonym], Tylopteryx Hutton 1892 [synonym]
Fm. †Emeidae
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G. †Anomalopteryx Reichenbach 1853
G. †Emeus Riechenbach 1852
G. †Euryapteryx Haast 1874
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Invalid names: Cela Reichenbach 1852 [synonym]
G. †Pachyornis Lydekker 1891
Invalid names: Anomalopterygidae [synonym]
Fm. †Megalapterygidae Bunce et al. 2009
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G. †Megalapteryx Haast 1885
Superor. Casuariimorphae Livezey and Zusi 2007
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Or. Casuariiformes [cassowary]
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Fm. Casuariidae Kaup 1847
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Subfm. Dromaiinae
G. Dromaius Vieillot 1816 [emu]
Invalid names: Dromaiidae Richmond 1908 [empty]
Invalid names: Struthiones [empty], Struthionimorphae Livezey and Zusi 2007 [empty]
Fm. †Remiornithidae Martin 1992
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G. †Remiornis Lemoine 1881
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Remiornis heberti Lemoine 1881
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Invalid names: Remiornis minor Lemoine 1878 [synonym]
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Fm. Rheidae Bonaparte 1849 [rhea]
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G. †Diogenornis Alvarenga 1983
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Diogenornis fragilis Alvarenga 1983
G. †Heterorhea Rovereto 1914
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Heterorhea dabbenei Rovereto 1914
G. †Hinasuri Tambussi 1995
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Hinasuri nehuensis Tambussi 1995
G. †Opisthodactylus Ameghino 1891
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Opisthodactylus horacioperezi Agnolin and Chafrat 2015
Opisthodactylus kirchneri Noriega et al. 2017
Opisthodactylus patagonicus Ameghino 1891
G. †Protorhea Moreno and Mercerat 1891
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Protorhea azarae Moreno and Mercerat 1891
G. Rhea Brisson 1760
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Rhea americana Linnaeus 1758 [greater rhea]
Rhea fossilis Moreno and Mercerat 1891
Rhea nana Lydekker 1894
Rhea pampeana Moreno and Mercerat 1891
Rhea pennata d'Orbigny 1834 [lesser rhea]
Rhea subpampeana Moreno and Mercerat 1891
Rhea tarapacensis Chubb 1913 [Puna rhea]
Invalid names: Pterocnemia Gray 1870 [synonym]
Or. Struthioniformes Latham 1790
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Fm. †Eleutherornithidae Wetmore 1951
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G. †Proceriavis Harrison and Walker 1979
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Proceriavis martini Harrison and Walker 1979
Fm. †Ergilornithidae Kozlova 1960
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G. †Amphipelargus Lydekker 1891
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Amphipelargus majori Lydekker 1891
Invalid names: Urmiornis Mecquenem 1908 [synonym]
G. †Ergilornis Kozlova 1960
G. †Proergilornis Kozlova 1960
G. †Sinoergilornis Musser et al. 2020
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Sinoergilornis guangheensis Musser et al. 2020
Fm. †Geranoididae Wetmore 1933
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G. †Eogeranoides Cracraft 1969
G. †Geranodornis Cracraft 1969
G. †Geranoides Wetmore 1933
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Geranoides jepseni Wetmore 1933
G. †Paragrus Lambrecht 1933
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Paragrus prentici Loomis 1906
Fm. †Palaeotididae Houde and Haubold 1987
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G. †Galligeranoides Bourdon et al. 2014
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Galligeranoides boriensis Bourdon et al. 2014
G. †Palaeotis Lambrecht 1928
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Palaeotis weigelti Lambrecht 1928
Fm. Struthionidae Vigors 1825 [ostrich]
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G. Struthio Linnaeus 1758 [ostrich]
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Struthio anderssoni Lowe 1831
Struthio asiaticus Milne-Edwards 1871 [Asian ostrich]
Struthio barbarus Arambourg 1979
Struthio bradydactylus Burchak-Abramovich 1939
Struthio camelus Linnaeus 1758 [common ostrich]
Struthio chersonensis Brant 1873
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Invalid names: Palaeostruthio sternatus Burčak-Abramovič 1953 [synonym], Struthio novorossicus Alexejev 1916 [synonym], Struthio orlovi Kurochkin and Lungu 1970 [synonym], Struthiolithus adzalycensis Roščin 1962 [synonym], Struthiolithus alexejevi Roščin 1962 [synonym]
Struthio coppensi Mourer-Chauviré et al. 1996
Struthio karatheodoris Forsyth Major 1888
Struthio linxiaensis Hou et al. 2005
Struthio molybdophanes Reichenow 1883 [Somali ostrich]
Struthio mongolicus Lowe 1931
Struthio wimani Lowe 1931
Invalid names: Pachystruthio Kretzoi 1954 [synonym], Palaeostruthio Burčak-Abramovič 1953 [synonym], Struthiolithus Brant 1873 [synonym]
Invalid names: Lithornidae [empty], Remiornithiformes Martin 1992 [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, Benton 1983

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Early/Lower Maastrichtian to the top of the Holocene or 70.60000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 66.0 Ma

Collections (262 total)

Oldest occurrences

Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Early/Lower Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0France (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) Ratitae indet. (47893)
Tiffanian61.7 - 56.8USA (Montana) Lithornis celetius (15008)
Tiffanian61.7 - 56.8USA (California) Lithornis sp. (154724)
Selandian61.6 - 59.2Belgium Lithornithidae indet. (68431)
Selandian61.6 - 59.2Germany (Saxony-Anhalt) Fissuravis weigelti (74643)
Thanetian59.2 - 56.0France (Nord) Lithornithidae indet. (68429)
Thanetian59.2 - 56.0France (Champagne-Ardenne) Remiornis heberti (68428 87925)
Thanetian59.2 - 56.0United Kingdom (England) Pediorallus barbarae (68433)
Late/Upper Paleocene58.7 - 55.8France (Oise) Remiornis sp. (166598)
Clarkforkian56.8 - 55.8USA (Wyoming) Lithornis promiscuus, Lithornis plebius (133237)
Ypresian56.0 - 47.8United Kingdom (United Kingdom) Pediorallus barbarae (216091)
Ypresian56.0 - 47.8United Kingdom (Sussex) Pediorallus barbarae (13298)
Ypresian56.0 - 47.8Denmark Lithornis sp., Lithornis vulturinus (84460)
Ypresian56.0 - 47.8France (Aude) Galligeranoides boriensis (182641)
Ypresian56.0 - 47.8United Kingdom (England) Pediorallus barbarae (216089)
Wasatchian55.8 - 50.3USA (Wyoming) Calciavis grandei (85026) Geranoides jepseni (74618) Pseudocrypturus cercanaxius (15853)
Early/Lower Eocene55.8 - 48.6United Kingdom Lithornis vulturinus, Promusophaga magnifica (215472)
Early/Lower Eocene55.8 - 48.6Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) Diogenornis fragilis (38793)
Early/Lower Eocene55.8 - 48.6USA (Wyoming) Paracathartes howardae (13321)
Early/Lower Eocene55.8 - 48.6United Kingdom (England) Lithornis vulturinus (13320)