# Novavis

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Novavis
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Novavis.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novavis
> Source revision: 1341243465
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Extinct bird genus

Novavis Temporal range: Early Cretaceous (Aptian), 124–120 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Clade: Dinosauria Clade: Saurischia Clade: Theropoda Clade: Avialae Clade: †Enantiornithes Genus: †Novavis O'Connor et al., 2025 Species: †N. pubisculata Binomial name †Novavis pubisculata O'Connor et al., 2025

***Novavis*** (meaning "strange bird") is an [extinct](/source/Extinct) genus of [enantiornithean](/source/Enantiornithean) birds from the [Early Cretaceous](/source/Early_Cretaceous) [Xiagou Formation](/source/Xiagou_Formation) of China. The genus contains a [single species](/source/Monotypic_taxon), ***N. pubisculata***, known from a partial skeleton. The pubis bone of *Novavis* is unusually short compared to other related birds.

## Discovery and naming

The *Novavis* [holotype](/source/Holotype) specimen, [IVPP](/source/IVPP) V31957, was discovered in 2005 in sediments of the [Xiagou Formation](/source/Xiagou_Formation) (Changma Basin locality) near Changma Town in [Yumen City](/source/Yumen_City) of [Gansu Province](/source/Gansu_Province), China. The specimen is incomplete, comprising six or seven [caudal vertebrae](/source/Caudal_vertebrae), a partial [pelvic girdle](/source/Pelvic_girdle) (the right [ischium](/source/Ischium) and both [pubes](/source/Pubis_(bone))), and most of both hindlimbs, preserved on a single [slab](/source/Compression_fossil). Like many other bird fossils initially found in this locality, the holotype features a thick reflective layer of consolidant to secure the specimen. However, this obscures some details and prevents the precise identification of some bones. The specimen was initially housed at the [Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences](/source/Chinese_Academy_of_Geological_Sciences) under the catalogue number CAGS-IG-05-CM-012 before being moved to the [Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology](/source/Institute_of_Vertebrate_Paleontology_and_Paleoanthropology).[1]

In 2025, [O'Connor](/source/Jingmai_O'Connor) et al. [described](/source/Species_description) *Novavis pubisculata* as a new genus and species of enantiornithean birds based on these fossil remains. The [generic name](/source/Genus), *Novavis*, combines the [Latin](/source/Latin) words *[novus](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/novus#Adjective)*, meaning "strange" and *[avis](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/avis#Noun_6)*, meaning "bird". It is also intended to honor Nova R. J. Sumita. The [specific name](/source/Specific_name_(zoology)), *pubisculata*, is derived from roots that mean "short" or "diminutive" pubis. The full [binomial name](/source/Binomial_name) translates to "strange bird with short pubis", in reference to the unusual proportions of the pelvic girdle.[1]

Four other enantiornithean birds—all known from incomplete skeletons—were named from the Xiagou Formation prior to *Novavis*: *[Qiliania](/source/Qiliania)*,[2] *[Dunhuangia](/source/Dunhuangia)*,[3] *[Feitianius](/source/Feitianius)*,[4] and *[Avimaia](/source/Avimaia)*.[5] The formation's bird fauna is otherwise dominated by more than 70 specimens of the [ornithuromorph](/source/Ornithuromorph) *[Gansus yumenensis](/source/Gansus_yumenensis)*.[1]

## Classification

In their [phylogenetic analyses](/source/Phylogenetic_analyses), O'Connor et al. (2025) recovered *Novavis* as a member of the extinct Cretaceous bird clade [Enantiornithes](/source/Enantiornithes). They noted that their analyses found *Novavis* to be more [basal](/source/Basal_(phylogenetics)) than the other Xiagou Formation enantiornitheans that it coexisted with (highlighted below) except for *Dunhuangia*, which it was recovered in a [polytomy](/source/Polytomy) with alongside *[Eocathayornis](/source/Eocathayornis)*. Their results are displayed in the [cladogram](/source/Cladogram) below:[1]

Ornithothoraces Euornithes †Enantiornithes Protopteryx Iberomesornis Pengornis Eopengornis Rapaxavis Longirostravis Shanweiniao Longipteryx Novavis Dunhuangia Eocathayornis Eoalulavis Concornis Cathayornis yandica Neuquenornis Halimornis Enantiophoenix Feitianius GSGM-FV-00516 (indeterminate unnamed enantiornithean)[6] Qiliania Avimaia Shenqiornis Eoenantiornis Elsornis

## See also

- [List of bird species described in the 2020s](/source/List_of_bird_species_described_in_the_2020s)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Novavis_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Novavis_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Novavis_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Novavis_1-3) [O'Connor, Jingmai K.](/source/Jingmai_O'Connor); Atterholt, Jessie; Clark, Alexander D.; Zhou, Linqi; Peng, Cuo; Zhang, Xiaoqin; You, Hailu (2025-01-17). ["A new enantiornithine (Aves: Ornithothoraces) from the Lower Cretaceous Xiagou Formation with unusually short pubes"](https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0016699525000166). *[Geobios](/source/Geobios)*. **90**: 123–131. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2025Geobi..90..123O](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2025Geobi..90..123O). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.geobios.2024.11.003](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.geobios.2024.11.003). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0016-6995](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0016-6995).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Qiliania_2-0)** Ji, Shu-An; Atterholt, Jessie; [O'Connor, Jingmai](/source/Jingmai_O'Connor); Lamanna, Matthew; Harris, Jerry; Li, Da-Qing; You, Hai-Lu; Dodson, Peter (2011). ["A new, three-dimensionally preserved enantiornithine bird (Aves: Ornithothoraces) from Gansu Province, north-western China"](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1096-3642.2010.00671.x). *[Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society](/source/Zoological_Journal_of_the_Linnean_Society)*. **162** (1): 201–219. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/j.1096-3642.2010.00671.x](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1096-3642.2010.00671.x).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Dunhuangia_3-0)** Wang, Min; Li, Daqing; [O'Connor, Jingmai K.](/source/Jingmai_O'Connor); Zhou, Zhonghe; You, Hailu (2015-07-01). ["Second species of enantiornithine bird from the Lower Cretaceous Changma Basin, northwestern China with implications for the taxonomic diversity of the Changma avifauna"](https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S019566711500018X). *Cretaceous Research*. **55**: 56–65. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2015CrRes..55...56W](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2015CrRes..55...56W). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.cretres.2015.01.008](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.cretres.2015.01.008). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0195-6671](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0195-6671).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Feitianius_4-0)** [O'Connor, Jingmai K.](/source/Jingmai_O'Connor); Li, Da-Qing; Lamanna, Matthew C.; Wang, Min; Harris, Jerald D.; Atterholt, Jessie; You, Hai-Lu (2016-01-02). "A new Early Cretaceous enantiornithine (Aves, Ornithothoraces) from northwestern China with elaborate tail ornamentation". *[Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology](/source/Journal_of_Vertebrate_Paleontology)*. **36** (1) e1054035. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2016JVPal..36E4035O](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016JVPal..36E4035O). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/02724634.2015.1054035](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F02724634.2015.1054035). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0272-4634](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0272-4634).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Avimaia_5-0)** Bailleul, Alida M.; [O'Connor, Jingmai](/source/Jingmai_O'Connor); Zhang, Shukang; Li, Zhiheng; Wang, Qiang; Lamanna, Matthew C.; Zhu, Xufeng; Zhou, Zhonghe (2019-03-20). ["An Early Cretaceous enantiornithine (Aves) preserving an unlaid egg and probable medullary bone"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6426974). *Nature Communications*. **10** (1): 1275. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2019NatCo..10.1275B](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2019NatCo..10.1275B). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1038/s41467-019-09259-x](https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fs41467-019-09259-x). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [2041-1723](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/2041-1723). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [6426974](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6426974). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [30894527](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30894527).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-O'Connor2012_6-0)** [O'Connor, Jingmai K.](/source/Jingmai_O'Connor); Chiappe, Luis M.; Chuong, Cheng-ming; Bottjer, David J.; You, Hailu (2012-09-14). ["Homology and Potential Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms for the Development of Unique Feather Morphologies in Early Birds"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3758748). *Geosciences*. **2** (3): 157–177. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2012Geosc...2..157O](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2012Geosc...2..157O). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.3390/geosciences2030157](https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fgeosciences2030157). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [2076-3263](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/2076-3263). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [3758748](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3758748). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [24003379](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24003379).

v t e Enantiornithes Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Clade: Dinosauria Clade: Theropoda Clade: Ornithothoraces Avemetatarsalia see Avemetatarsalia Theropoda see Theropoda Maniraptora see Maniraptora Enantiornithes see below↓ Enantiornithes †Enantiornithes Abavornis Alethoalaornis Alexornis Avimaia Brevirostruavis Castignovolucris Catenoleimus Cathayornis Cratoavis Cruralispennia Cuspirostrisornis Dalingheornis Dapingfangornis Dunhuangia Elbretornis Elektorornis Elsornis Enantiornis Eoalulavis Eocathayornis Eoenantiornis Explorornis Falcatakely Feitianius Flexomornis Fortipesavis Fortunguavis Gobipipus Grabauornis Gracilornis Gurilynia Holbotia Houornis Huoshanornis Ilerdopteryx Imparavis Incolornis Junornis Kizylkumavis Kuszholia? Largirostrornis Lectavis Lenesornis Liaoningornis Liaoxiornis? Longchengornis Magnusavis Martinavis Microenantiornis Mirusavis Monoenantiornis Musivavis Nanantius Navaornis Novavis Orienantius Otogornis Paraprotopteryx Parvavis Piscivorenantiornis Platanavis? Praeornis? Protopteryx Pterygornis Qiliania Sazavis Shangyang Sinornis Xiangornis Yatenavis Yuanjiawaornis Yungavolucris Yuornis Iberomesornithidae Iberomesornis Noguerornis Pengornithidae Chiappeavis Eopengornis Parapengornis Pengornis Yuanchuavis Longipterygidae Boluochia Chromeornis Evgenavis? Gorgonavis? Longipteryx Longirostravis Rapaxavis Shanweiniao Bohaiornithidae Beiguornis Bohaiornis Gretcheniao Linyiornis Longusunguis Neobohaiornis Parabohaiornis Plumadraco Shenqiornis Sulcavis Zhouornis Gobipterygidae Gobipteryx Jibeinia? Vescornis? Avisauridae (sensu Cau & Arduini, 2008) Bauxitornis? Concornis? Enantiophoenix Halimornis Mystiornis Avisauridae (sensu Chiappe, 1992) Avisaurus Gettyia Intiornis Mirarce Neuquenornis Soroavisaurus Category

Taxon identifiers Novavis Wikidata: Q131786982 IRMNG: 11956408

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Novavis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novavis) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novavis?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.