Zhengheornis

Zhengheornis Temporal range: Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian–Tithonian), H Sin. Plie. Toar. A B B C Ox. Ki. Ti.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Clade:	Dinosauria
Clade:	Saurischia
Clade:	Theropoda
Clade:	Avialae
Genus:	†Zhengheornis Wang et al., 2026
Species:	†Z. buyu
Binomial name
†Zhengheornis buyu Wang et al., 2026

Zhengheornis (lit. 'Zhenghe bird') is an extinct genus of basal avialan known from the Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian–Tithonian ages) Nanyuan Formation of China.The genus contains a single species, Zhengheornis buyu, known from a partial skeleton with feather traces, preserved on a slab and counterslab.

Discovery and naming

The Zhengheornis fossil material was discovered during fieldwork from March to April 2024, in outcrops of the Nanyuan Formation ('layer 6') near Yangyuan Village of Zhenghe County, Fujian Province, China. The specimen is housed in the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP), where it is permanently accessioned as specimen IVPP V34168. It consists of a partial articulated skeleton with associated feather traces, preserved as a slab and counterslab. Known material includes much of the post-cervical vertebral column, part of the pelvis, and much of the forelimbs and hindlimbs, much of which is preserved as molds.^[1]

In 2026, Min Wang and colleagues described Zhengheornis buyu as a new genus and species of early avialan dinosaur based on these fossil remains, establishing IVPP V34168 as the holotype specimen. The generic name, Zhengheornis, combines a reference to the discovery of the only known specimen in Zhenghe County, with the Greek word ornis, meaning 'bird'. The specific name, buyu, is a Mandarin word meaning 'unexpected', referencing the distinctive morphology of the pelvis and tail of this species.^[1]

References