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Sci-Tech Dictionary:

Neognathae

(nē′äg·nə′thē)

(vertebrate zoology) A superorder of the avian subclass Neornithes, characterized as flying birds with fully developed wings and sternum with a keel, fused caudal vertebrae, and absence of teeth.

 
 
Sci-Tech Encyclopedia: Neognathae

One of the two recognized superorders making up the subclass Neornithes of the class Aves. They are characterized as flying birds with fully developed wings and sternum with a keel, caudal vertebrae fused into a pygostyle, and absence of teeth in both jaws, or modifications of these conditions in secondary flightless birds.

This superorder includes all living birds and all known fossil birds since the Late Cretaceous; only the ancestral Jurassic Archaeopteryx and the specialized Cretaceous Hesperonis and its allies do not belong to the Neognathae. See also Archaeornithes; Aves; Odontognathae; Ratites.

 
Wikipedia: Neognathae
Neognaths
Mandarin Duck
Mandarin Duck
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Superorder: Neognathae
Pycraft, 1900
Orders

Neognaths are birds that form the Superorder Neognathae ("new jaw"), within the Subclass Neornithes ("new bird"), within the Class Aves. The superorder Neognathae includes Fowl and virtually all flying birds; the other living superorder, Paleognathae, contains only one order capable of flight. The Neognaths have fused metacarpals, an elongate digit III, and 13 or fewer vertebrae (all the Neornithes), are all toothless, and form about 9000 species and 29 orders. Through time, the neognaths have undergone adaptive radiation to produce the staggering diversity of form (especially of the bill and feet), function, and behavior that we see today.

Anatomy & Characteristics

Evolution

Taxonomy & Phylogenetics

  • Neornithes
    • Paleognathae
    • Neognathae
      • Galloanserae
      • Neoaves
        • Gaviomorphae
        • Procellariimorphae
          • Procellariformes
            • Pelecanoidi
            • Procellarae
        • Ciconiimorphae
        • Pelecanimorphae
          • Pelecaniformes
            • Phaethontes
            • Steganopodes
            • Sulae
        • Cuculimorphae
          • Cuculiformes
        • Psittacimorphae
        • Cypselomorphae
          • Caprimulgiformes
            • Aegotheli
            • Caprimulgi
          • Apodiformes
            • Apodi
            • Hemiprocni
            • Trochili
        • Passerimorphae
        • Trogonomorphae
        • Falconimorphae
        • Charadriimorphae
          • Charadriiformes
            • Lari
            • Limicolae
            • Parae
            • Pedionomae
        • Gruiformes
          • Cariamae
          • Eurypygae
          • Grues
          • Ralli

Neognaths & Humans

References

[Tree of Life Project Page on Neognaths] [The Paleobiology Database Page on Neognath Classification]


This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 

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Sci-Tech Dictionary. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms. Copyright © 2003, 1994, 1989, 1984, 1978, 1976, 1974 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Sci-Tech Encyclopedia. McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Neognathae".  Read more

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