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Neornithes
Fossil range: Late CretaceousRecent, 66-0 Ma
Scientific classification

Class

Aves

Subclass

Neornithes

Superorders




Neornithes, more commonly referred to as modern birds, are the most recent common ancestor of all living birds (class Aves) and all its descendants.

Taxonomy[]

Modern birds are divided into two superorders; the Paleognathae (tinamous and flightless ratites like ostriches), and the wildly diverse Neognathae, containing all other birds. Depending on the taxonomic viewpoint, the number of species cited varies anywhere from 8,800 to 10,200 known living bird species in the world. It is generally agreed that the Neornithes evolved in the Cretaceous Period and that the split between the Paleognathae and Neognathae, and then the split between Galloanserae (fowl) and the other Neognathae, occurred before the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) extinction event, but there are different opinions about whether the radiation of the remaining neognathes occurred before or after the extinction of the other dinosaurs.[1] This disagreement is in part caused by a divergence in the evidence, with molecular dating suggesting a Cretaceous radiation and fossil evidence supporting a Tertiary radiation. Attempts made to reconcile the molecular and fossil evidence have proved controversial.[1][2]

Recently, new fossil and molecular evidence is providing an increasingly clear picture of the evolution of modern bird orders. See also: Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy and dinosaur classification.

Classification[]

 
Aves 

Archaeopteryx


 Pygostylia 

Confuciusornithidae


 Ornithothoraces 

Enantiornithes


 Ornithurae 

Hesperornithiformes



Neornithes






Basal bird phylogeny showing Neornithes and extinct ancient groups (simplified after Chiappe, 2007[3])

Phylogeny[]

Neornithes

Sketch of a Neornithes tree in and around K-T

Basal divergences of modern birds based on the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy.

Neornithes  
Paleognathae 

Struthioniformes



Tinamiformes



 Neognathae 
 

Neoaves


Galloanserae 

Anseriformes


    

Galliformes






Footnotes[]

  1. ^ a b Ericson PGP, Anderson CL, Britton T, Elzanowski A, Johansson US, Kallersjo M, Ohlson JI, Parsons TJ, Zuccon D, Mayr G (22 December 2006). "Diversification of Neoaves: integration of molecular sequence data and fossils". Biol Lett 2 (4): 543-547. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2006.0523. PMID 17148284. 
  2. ^ Brown J, Payne B, Mindell D (27 June 2007). "Nuclear DNA does not reconcile 'rocks' and 'clocks' in Neoaves: a comment on Ericson et al.". Biol Lett 3 (3): 1-3. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2006.0611. PMID 17389215. 
  3. ^ Chiappe, Luis M. (2007). Glorified Dinosaurs: The Origin and Early Evolution of Birds. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press. ISBN 978-0-86840-413-4. 


References[]


Archosauromorphs
Primitive ArchosauromorphsEuparkeriidae • Erythrosuchidae • Proterochampsidae • Proterosuchidae • Choristodera • Prolacertiformes • Rhynchosauria • Trilophosauria

Crurotarsi ArchosaursOrnithosuchidae • Aetosauria • Phytosauria • Rauisuchia • Crocodylomorpha • Crocodilia

Avemetatarsalia and Ornithodira ArchosaursScleromochlus • Pterosauria • Dinosauromorpha • Dinosauria • Ornithischia • Saurischia • Aves

Avian ArchosaursAvialae • Archaeopteryx • Confuciusornis • Ichthyornis • Enantiornithes • Hesperornithes • Neornithes • Paleognathae • Neognathae
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