Laornis
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Laornis Temporal range: see text |
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Fossil
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Subclass: | Neornithes |
| Infraclass: | Neognathae |
| Family: |
Laornithidae (disputed) Cracraft, 1973 |
| Genus: |
Laornis Marsh, 1870 |
| Species: | L. edvardsianus |
| Binomial name | |
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Laornis edvardsianus Marsh, 1870 |
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| Synonyms | |
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Laopteryx Kurochkin, 1995 (lapsus) |
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Coordinates: 39°59′N 74°43′W / 39.983°N 74.717°W
Laopteryx Kurochkin, 1995 (lapsus)
Laornis is a genus of a prehistoric neornithine birds, known only from Specimen YPM 820, a single tibiotarsus leg bone discovered in the late 19th century. Consequently, the genus is monotypic, containing only the species Laornis edvardsianus. Regarding its scientific name, Laornis means "stone bird", from Ancient Greek lao "stone" + ornis "bird". edvardsianus honors Alphonse Milne-Edwards, to compliment the French paleontologist on his landmark study Recherches Anatomiques et Paleontologiques pour servir a l'Histoire des Oiseaux Fossiles de la France, the second part of which was nearing completion at that time.
It was found in Late Cretaceous or Early Paleocene sediments of the Hornerstown Formation at the Birmingham Marl Pits, Pemberton Township, New Jersey, United States (39°59'N, 74°43'W). The deposits were laid down at about 66–63 Ma (million years ago).
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