Ichthyornis

Ichthyornis, (order Ichthyornithiformes), extinct seabird of the Late Cretaceous Period (99.6 million to 66 million years ago) found as fossils in the U.S. states of Wyoming, Kansas, and Texas. Ichthyornis somewhat resembled present-day gulls and terns and may even have had webbed feet. The resemblance, however, is superficial, because Ichthyornis and its relatives lacked many features that all the living groups of birds have. Ichthyornis was formerly grouped with Hesperornis, but it is now classified as the sole genus of the order Ichthyornithiformes. Ichthyornis was one of the notable discoveries of the American paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh.

Ichthyornis was about the size of a domestic pigeon and had strongly developed wings. The breastbone was large, with a strong keel, and the wing bones were long and well developed. The shoulder girdle was similar to that of strong-flying birds of the present. The legs were strong, with short shanks, long front toes, and a small, slightly elevated hind toe. The tail had a well-developed terminal knob made of several fused vertebrae (pygostyle), as did the tails of all but the most primitive birds such as Archaeopteryx. Unlike modern birds, Ichthyornis possessed teeth, which are thought to have been used to hold its prey, manipulate objects, and preen its feathers. The brain of Ichthyornis showed greater development than that of another Cretaceous seabird, Hesperornis, but its brain was still smaller than that of modern birds. Other traits of Ichthyornis are not known for certain, as the known fossil material is fragmentary and the association of some of the bones is in question. Some portions may turn out to belong to other kinds of Cretaceous birds.