Martinavis
Encyclopedia
Martinavis is an extinct genus
of enantiornithine
bird which existed in what is now southern France
, North America
and Salta Province
, Argentina
during the late Cretaceous
period. It was named by Cyril A. Walker, Eric Buffetaut and Gareth J. Dyke in 2007
, and the type species
is Martinavis cruzyensis. M. cruzyensis is known from the holotype
ACAP-M 1957, a complete uncrushed right humerus
, recovered from the Massecaps locality, Cruzy
, which is in a Campanian
/Maastrichtian
-stage deposits in the Grès à Reptiles Formation of France
. A second species, M. vincei is known from the holotype
PVL 4054, a complete left humerus and from the associated paratype PVL 4059, a distal end of left humerus, recovered from the El Brete locality (Maastrichtian
age), Lecho Formation
of Argentina
. A possible third species is represented by the unnamed specimen KU-NM-37 from USA. In 2009
, three additional species were named from the same location as M. vincei. M. minor is known from the holotype
PVL 4046, a distally imperfect right humerus, M. saltariensis is known from the holotype
PVL 4025, an incomplete left humerus, lacking the median ridge and M. whetstonei is known from the holotype
PVL 4028, a distally imperfect left humerus.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of enantiornithine
Enantiornithes
Enantiornithes is an extinct group of primitive birds. They were the most abundant and diverse avialans of the Mesozoic. Almost all retained teeth and clawed fingers on each wing, but otherwise looked much like modern birds externally. Over 50 species of Enantiornithines have been named, but some...
bird which existed in what is now southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Salta Province
Salta Province
Salta is a province of Argentina, located in the northwest of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the east clockwise Formosa, Chaco, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán and Catamarca. It also surrounds Jujuy...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
during the late Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
period. It was named by Cyril A. Walker, Eric Buffetaut and Gareth J. Dyke in 2007
2007 in paleontology
-newly named:-New taxa:-Newly named non-avian dinosaurs:Data courtesy of George Olshevky's dinosaur genera list.-Newly named birds:-New papers:...
, and the type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
is Martinavis cruzyensis. M. cruzyensis is known from the holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
ACAP-M 1957, a complete uncrushed right humerus
Humerus
The humerus is a long bone in the arm or forelimb that runs from the shoulder to the elbow....
, recovered from the Massecaps locality, Cruzy
Cruzy
Cruzy is also a commune in the Hérault department in southern France....
, which is in a Campanian
Campanian
The Campanian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the fifth of six ages of the Late Cretaceous epoch . The Campanian spans the time from 83.5 ± 0.7 Ma to 70.6 ± 0.6 Ma ...
/Maastrichtian
Maastrichtian
The Maastrichtian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the latest age or upper stage of the Late Cretaceous epoch or Upper Cretaceous series, the Cretaceous period or system, and of the Mesozoic era or erathem. It spanned from 70.6 ± 0.6 Ma to 65.5 ± 0.3 Ma...
-stage deposits in the Grès à Reptiles Formation of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. A second species, M. vincei is known from the holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
PVL 4054, a complete left humerus and from the associated paratype PVL 4059, a distal end of left humerus, recovered from the El Brete locality (Maastrichtian
Maastrichtian
The Maastrichtian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the latest age or upper stage of the Late Cretaceous epoch or Upper Cretaceous series, the Cretaceous period or system, and of the Mesozoic era or erathem. It spanned from 70.6 ± 0.6 Ma to 65.5 ± 0.3 Ma...
age), Lecho Formation
Lecho Formation
The Lecho Formation is a geological formation in Argentina whose strata date back to the Late Cretaceous. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation....
of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. A possible third species is represented by the unnamed specimen KU-NM-37 from USA. In 2009
2009 in paleontology
-Anomalocaridids:-Arachnids:-Insects:-Cephalopods:Three new species of extinct Octopoda discovered in 2009. The species - Keuppia hyperbolaris, Keuppia levante, and Styletoctopus annae - lived about 95 million years ago, and bear a strong resemblance to modern octopuses, suggesting that the...
, three additional species were named from the same location as M. vincei. M. minor is known from the holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
PVL 4046, a distally imperfect right humerus, M. saltariensis is known from the holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
PVL 4025, an incomplete left humerus, lacking the median ridge and M. whetstonei is known from the holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
PVL 4028, a distally imperfect left humerus.