View Details:  Prev Record    Next Record
Clade
Subclade

Taxon
Taxon
Confuciusornithidae
Nominal Author
Hou et al. 1995
2nd Nominal Author
Taxon Status ACTIVE
Comments

Chiappe et al. (1999) defined Confuciusornithidae as a node-based taxon including two closely related species, Confuciusornis sanctus and Changchengornis hengdaoziensis. It seems unlikely that Confuciusornithidae will ever contain dozens of genera, using the aforementioned definition. It seems much more likely that additional species or an additional genus and species will appear in the lakebed sequence in China that is the sister taxon to these two closely related species. In that case, there will be an unnamed clade consisting of Confuciusornithidae plus this new speices.

To maintain the taxon name for the entire stem, the active definition is a second-order revision. Like other low-level taxa with few species outside Neornithes (Hesperornithes, Hesperonithidae, Archaeopterygidae), this definition will accommodate present and future closely related forms.

Potential Synonomy

Active Phylogenetic Definition
Active Definition
The most inclusive clade containing Confuciusornis sanctus Hou et al. 1995 but not Passer domesticus (Linnaeus 1758).
Shorthand
> Confuciusornis sanctus but not Passer domesticus.
Definitional Author
Sereno 2005
Definition Status checked
Definition Type STEM
Node-Stem Triplet NO
Other Triplet Taxa
Specifiers
Specifier(s) A
Confuciusornis sanctus
Specifier(s) B
Specifier(s) C
Passer domesticus
Qualifiers
+Taxon
-Taxon
Datum
Taxonomic Content
Publication Year Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
2005

Inactive Taxon Status
Rejection Criteria
Critique
 

Definitional History #1
Earliest Record
The common ancestor of Confuciusornis sanctus and Changchengornis hengdaoziensis plus all of this ancestor’s descendants.
Latest Record
Chiappe et al. 1999:9
Range (My)
Range (My)
Confuciusornis sanctus, Changchengornis hengdaoziensis
Range (My)

Definitional History #2
Earliest Record
Latest Record
Range (My)
Range (My)
Range (My)

Definitional History #3
Earliest Record
Latest Record
Range (My)
Range (My)
Range (My)

Definitional History #4
Earliest Record
Latest Record
Range (My)
Range (My)
Range (My)

Definitional History #5
Earliest Record
Latest Record
Range (My)
Range (My)
Range (My)

Definitional History #6
Earliest Record
Latest Record
Range (My)
Range (My)
Range (My)

Definitional History #7
Earliest Record
Latest Record
Range (My)
Range (My)
Range (My)

Definitional History #8
Earliest Record
Latest Record
Range (My)
Range (My)
Range (My)

Definitional History #9
Earliest Record
Latest Record
Range (My)
Range (My)
Range (My)

Definitional History #10
Earliest Record
Latest Record
Range (My)
Range (My)
Range (My)