Juehuaornis is an extinct genus of ornithuromorph bird from the Early Cretaceous of present-day China. It contains a single species, J. zhangi.[1]
The holotype, SJG 00001, was found near Lingyuan in a layer of the Jiufotang Formation dating from the Aptian. It consists of an almost complete and associated skeleton with skull, compressed on a plate. It preserves feather remains. The counterplate was designated as the paratype with inventory number SJG 00001A.[1]
In 2015 the type species Juehuaornis zhangi was named and described by Wang Ren-fe, Wang Yan and Hu Dongyu. The generic name combines a reference to the island of Juehua, the "Chrysanthemum Island" off the coast of Liaoning, with a Greek ὄρνις, ornis, "bird". The specific name honours curator Zhang Dayong.[1]
Juehuaornis has a long beak which reaches 70% of the total skull length.[1]
Juehuaornis was placed in the Ornithuromorpha in 2015.[1] In 2016 it was suggested that Juehuaornis might be cogeneric to the closely related genera Changzuiornis and Dingavis found in the same formation, in which case Juehuaornis would have priority.[2]
Juehuaornis is an extinct genus of ornithuromorph bird from the Early Cretaceous of present-day China. It contains a single species, J. zhangi.
