Morsoravis
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| Morsoravis Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Family: | †Morsoravidae |
| Genus: | †Morsoravis Bertelli et al., 2010 |
| Species: | †M. sedilis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Morsoravis sedilis (Bertelli et al. 2010) | |
Morsoravis is an extinct genus of neoavian bird from the Early Eocene Fur Formation of Denmark. It contains a single named species, Morsoravis sedilis. Fossils of Morsoravis have also been found in the Green River Formation of Wyoming and possibly the Nanjemoy Formation of Virginia.
The holotype of Morsoravis, MGUH 28930, consists of a complete but fully articulated and three-dimensionally preserved skeleton, found in the marine Fur Formation of Denmark. There are several fish bones preserved within the body of the bird, although there are also other fish fossils surrounding the specimen. The fossil was collected from a site on the northwestern corner of the island of Mors, at the base of a cliff.[1]
Although Morsoravis belongs to its own family, Morsoravidae, and is related to the Psittacopedidae,[2] it was first formally described as a relative of the Charadriiformes by Bertelli et al. in 2010. Before that, it had been the subject of research in two unpublished doctoral theses in 2002 and 2007.[3] Additionally, it had been inadequately described as a nomen nudum under the name "Morsoravis sedile"[1] in Dyke & Tuinen (2004).[4]
The generic name Morsoravis comes from Mors, the name of the island on which the holotype was collected, Latin sor, meaning "shore", and avis, meaning bird. The specific ephitet, sedilis, is from Latin "sedere", meaining to sit still, and ilis, expressing capability, referencing Morsoravis' capability to perch.[1]
A fossil from the Green River Formation in Wyoming belongs to an unnamed species of Morsoravis, and preserves the forelimbs, unlike the holotype.[5] Remains of Morsoravis-like bone fragments have been found from the Nanjemoy Formation of Virginia, United States. However, the fragmentary nature of these specimens prohibits confident assignment to the genus.[6] A further specimen from the Fur Formation, preserving elements of the wing and pectoral area not found in the holotype, belongs to Morsoravis, but it is now lost.[7]