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Lonchodytes Temporal range: Late Cretaceous, possibly Paleocene in age PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Clade:	Aequornithes
Genus:	†Lonchodytes Brodkorb 1963
Species
Lonchodytes estesi Brodkorb 1963 "Lonchodytes" pterygius (see text)

Lonchodytes is a Late Cretaceous genus of aquatic bird, which lived along the shores of the Western Interior Seaway. It lived probably during the Maastrichtian, 70 million years ago (mya), and was found in Lance Creek Formation rocks in Wyoming (United States) though it seems still somewhat unclear if it did fossilize there or was reworked from later (Danian: Early Paleocene, less than 65 mya) deposits.

Lonchodytes estesi, the type species, appears to be closely related to the ancestor of some modern birds. It is most often allied - albeit tentatively - with the Gaviiformes (loons/divers), Procellariiformes (tubenoses) or Pelecaniformes. It was found to be closer to Procellariiformes than to the other orders by a cladistic analysis.

These are today generally believed to be closely related if not actually a clade, perhaps together with other "higher waterbirds" such as penguins. L. estesi might be basal to some lineages among these three, and/or other "higher waterbirds", a hypothesis by and large compatible with current phylogenetic analyses based on morphological and DNA sequence data, as well as the Mesozoic record of Neornithes.

"Lonchodytes" pterygius on the other hand quite likely does not belong into this genus. It appears very distinct from in a cladistic phylogeny and seems to be a member of the Charadriiformes. Given the paucity of remains however, it cannot be excluded with certainty that it represents an ancestral "higher waterbird" lineage that was morphologically convergent to waders.

References

1. P. Brodkorb. 1963. Birds from the Upper Cretaceous of Wyoming. Proceedings of the XIII International Ornithological Congress 55-70
2. S. Hope. 2002. The Mesozoic radiation of Neornithes. In L. M. Chiappe and L. M. Witmer (eds.), Mesozoic Birds: Above the Heads of Dinosaurs. University of California Press, Berkeley 339-388
3. ^ Mortimer, Mickey (2004): The Theropod Database: Phylogeny of taxa. Retrieved 2013-MAR-02.

v t e Genera of penguins, petrels, and albatrosses and their extinct allies
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Infraclass: Neognathae Clade: Austrodyptornithes
Sphenisciformes incertae sedis †Arthrodytes †Aprosdokitos †Kaiika †Kumimanu †Kupoupou †Muriwaimanu †Nucleornis †Orthopteryx †Pakudyptes †Petradyptes †Sequiwaimanu †Tonniornis †Waimanu †Wimanornis Spheniscidae †Crossvallia †Dege †Duntroonornis †Korora †Icadyptes †Inguza †Inkayacu †Kairuku †Marambiornopsis †Marplesornis †Palaeoapterodytes †Perudyptes †Pseudaptenodytes †Tasidyptes †Tereingaornis †Palaeospheniscinae Eretiscus Palaeospheniscus †Paraptenodytinae Arthrodytes Paraptenodytes †"Palaeeudyptinae" Anthropodyptes Anthropornis Archaeospheniscus Delphinornis Marambiornis Mesetaornis Pachydyptes Palaeeudyptes Platydyptes Spheniscinae Aptenodytes Eudyptes Eudyptula †Madrynornis Megadyptes Pygoscelis Spheniscus
Procellariiformes incertae sedis †Kievornis †Lonchodytes? †Makahala †Diomedeoididae Diomedeoides Rupelornis †Marinavidae Marinavis †Tytthostonychidae Tytthostonyx Diomedeidae †Aldiomedes †Diomedavus Diomedea †Murunkus †Notoleptos Phoebastria Phoebetria †Plotornis Thalassarche †Tydea Oceanitidae Fregetta Garrodia Nesofregetta Oceanites Pelagodroma Hydrobatidae Hydrobates Procellariidae Aphrodroma Ardenna †Argyrodyptes Bulweria Calonectris Daption †Eopuffinus Fulmarus Halobaena Macronectes Pachyptila Pagodroma Pelecanoides †Primodroma Procellaria Pseudobulweria Pterodroma †Pterodromoides Puffinus Thalassoica

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• Basal Neoaves
• Prehistoric bird genera
• Late Cretaceous birds of North America
• Procellariiformes
• Charadriiformes
• Extinct birds of North America
• Prehistoric bird stubs
• Bird stubs