Neoaves

superorder of birds

Neoaves is a clade. It includes all modern birds (Neornithes or Aves) except Paleognathae (ratites and kin) and Galloanserae (ducks, chickens and kin).[2]

Neoavians
Temporal range: Late CretaceousHolocene, 70–0 Ma [1]
Common starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Infraclass: Neognathae
Clade: Neoaves
Sibley et al., 1988
Clades

The implication of this is that the two exceptions may have originated from dinobird lines other than the great mass of birds. That is not proven, but it is suggested by this taxonomy.

References

change
  1. Van Tuinen M. (2009) Birds (Aves). In The Timetree of Life, Hedges SB, Kumar S (eds). Oxford: Oxford University Press; 409–411.
  2. Jarvis E.D. et al. 2014 Whole-genome analyses resolve early branches in the tree of life of modern birds. Science. 346 (6215): 1320–1331. [1]