Jeholornithidae

Jeholornithidae is a family of avialan theropods whose taxonomy is controversial, whose remains are found in fossil deposits of what is now China. The controversy stems from whether most of the taxa in the group are just specimens of Jeholornis, as well as if the group is monophyletic at all. In the description of Kompsornis the authors Wang et al. (2020) found moderate support in the monophyly of the group, placing them as basal avialans and sister to Pygostylia.^[1] No phylogenetic definitions for these groups were provided by Zhou and Zhang, but a topological definition was provided in 2020 by Wang and colleagues where Jeholornithiformes was defined as "the most inclusive clade containing Je. prima but excluding the extant birds".^[1]

Jeholornithids Temporal range: Early Cretaceous, 124.5–120 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Fossil specimen of a juvenile J. prima (IVPP V13550), Paleozoological Museum of China
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Clade:	Dinosauria
Clade:	Saurischia
Clade:	Theropoda
Clade:	Avialae
Order:	†Jeholornithiformes Zhou & Zhang, 2006
Family:	†Jeholornithidae Zhou & Zhang, 2006
Type species
†Jeholornis prima Zhou & Zhang, 2002
Genera
†Dalianraptor? †Jeholornis †Jixiangornis? †Kompsornis †Neimengornis †Shenzhouraptor?

The results of a phylogenetic analysis of all valid jeholornithiform species considered by Wang and colleagues is shown below:^[1]

Avialae	Archaeopteryx lithographica Archaeopteryx albersdoerferi Alcmonavis Jeholornithiformes Jixiangornis Jeholornis palmapenis Shenzhouraptor sinensis Kompsornis Jeholornis prima Jeholornis curvipes Pygostylia