Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Subclass: Enantiornithes
Genus: Liaoxiornis
Species: Liaoxiornis delicatus

L. delicatus is the smallest known bird from the Mesozoic era (65 million to 250 million years ago). Although considered to be more advanced than either Archaeopteryx or Confuciusornis, L. delicatus still retains the primitive traits of its subclass, Enatiornithes – namely clawed hands and small, needle-like teeth. There are conflicting accounts of whether the type specimen was a juvenile, which may account for its small size, or fully grown. More data collection is required to answer this question.

Type Species: Liaoxiornis delicatus

Hou, L, and Chen, P-J. (1999). Liaoxiornis dlicatus gen. et sp. nov., the smallest Mesozoic bird. Chinese Science Bulletin 44, 9, pp. 834-838.

Locality: Yixian Formation, Liaoning Province, China.

Scientific Resources:

Chiappe, LM; Shu'an, J; and Qiang, J. (2007). Juvenile Birds from the Early Cretaceous of China: Implications for Enantiornithine Ontogeny. American Museum Novitates, Vol. 3594, No. 1, pp. 1-46.