Dasornis by Olmagon
Dasornis is an extinct species of pseudotooth birds residing within the order Odontopterygiformes. It lived during the Early Eocene, and is placed within the family Pelagornithidae, along with the related Pelagornis.
Description[]
Dasornis's remains were found in London Clay of the Isle of Sheppey and its fossil was made up of broken remains of wing and tarsometatarsus bones. It is unknown if the genus had a range restricted to the Atlantic Ocean or had range to the Pacific Ocean and in the Southern Hemisphere.
Like other pelagornithids, Dasornis was characterized by its immense size compared to other flying birds, possessing an estimated wingspan of up to 5 m (16 ft), with a head estimated at about 45cm (1.48ft) in life. As a characteristic trait among its family, Dasornis had pseudoteeth along its upper and lower bills, likely to accomodate a piscivorous lifestyle.
Species[]
There are a lot of species within the genus Dasornis, such as the widely accepted Dasornis emuinus, and others like Dasornis toliapica and Dasornis abdoun. The genus itself also has numerous synonyms, including Argillornis and Neptuniavis.
Gallery[]
Dasornis skull