Confuciusornis sanctus #200 Deinonychus sillimanium and the larger by

sillimanium and the larger by B

(JIG-ah-NOT-oh-SAWR-us) meaning "giant southern reptile" it was one of the largest meat-eating

While dated to the same time period and sharing some characteristics

Class: Sauropsida

Aspidella terranovica Billings

Confuciusornis sanctus #200 Deinonychus sillimanium and the larger byConfuciusornis sanctus ("the sacred bird of Confucius") is the earliest known beaked bird. Discovered in 1994, Confuciusornis represents an important side branch in avian evolution. Though Confuciusornis and its descendants all became extinct, it is the earliest known bird to abandon its reptilian teeth in favor of a light weight keratin beak. Remains of Confuciusornis are found at an Early Cretacaeous fossil site known as Sihetun in the Liaoning