Morsoravidae Mayr & Kitchener 2023

Family Morsoravidae nov.

LSID Zoobank: http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: B81B0E09 -9CC3-44E9-9FCF-BB6667A90FE0.

Type genus: Morsoravis Bertelli, Lindow, Dyke, and Chiappe, 2010.

Included genera: Morsoravis Bertelli, Lindow, Dyke, and Chiappe, 2010; Pumiliornis Mayr, 1999; Sororavis gen. nov.

Diagnosis.—The new taxon is characterised by (1) a high number of 21 praesacral vertebrae (not ascertainable for Sororavis gen. nov.); (2) a long and slender tibiotarsus; (3) a very large tuberositas musculi tibialis cranialis that is situated at the medial margin of the tarsometatarsus on the level of the foramina vascularia proximalia; (4) a trochlea metatarsi II of cylindrical shape that is plantarly deflected and has a marked and extensive trochlear furrow; (5) a fossa on the dorsal tarsometatarsus surface immediately proximal to the trochlea metatarsi III; (6) a trochlea metatarsi IV that exhibits a plantarly directed, wing-like flange and has a laterally slanted distal margin, which forms an angle of about 45° relative to the longitudinal axis of the tarsometatarsus (the presence of the flange is not ascertainable for Morsoravis); (7) a very wide first phalanx of the fourth toe (not ascertainable for Sororavis gen. nov.). Characters (4) and (7) are here considered diagnostic apomorphies of the new taxon.