Genus: Confuciusornis HOU, ZHOU, GU & ZHANG, 1995
Etymology: The genus is dedicated to Confucius, the greatest thinker and educator in Chinese history and Greek, ornis, “bird”: Confucius bird.
= Jinzhournis HOU, ZHOU, ZHANG & GU, 2002
Etymology: In reference to the city of Jinzhou, Yixian County, Liaoning Province, China.

Species: sanctus HOU, ZHOU, GU & ZHANG, 1995
Etymology: Latin, sanctus, "Holy"; in reference to Chinese, sheng, ‘sage’, in reference to Confucius.
= Confuciusornis sanstus HOU, ZHOU, GOU & ZHANG, 1995 [sic]

Holotype: IVPP V10918

Locality: Jianshangou, Shangyuan (Shangyuanzhen), Beipiao City (Beipiaoshi), Liaoning Province, China.

Horizon: Horizon 1, Lower part of the Yixian Formation, Jehol Group.

Biostratigraphy: Psittacosaurus Fauna, Confuciusornis Avifauna.

Age: Valanginian Stage, Upper Neocomian Subepoch, Early Early Cretaceous Epoch, Early Cretaceous.

Material: An incomplete articulated skeleton with skull, forelimb elements.

After CHIAPPE, JI, JI & NORELL, 1999

Paratype:

IVPP V10895: Nearly complete pelvis and articulated hindlimb.

IVPP V10920-10925: Another one with incomplete hindlimb, 6 separate feather impressions.

Referred material:

AZUMA, 2005

Locality: Western Liaoning Province, China.

Horizon: Yixian Formation, Jehol Group.

Biostratigraphy: Psittacosaurus Fauna, Confuciusornis Avifauna.

Age: Valanginian Stage, Upper Neocomian Subepoch, Early Early Cretaceous Epoch, Early Cretaceous.

Material:

JI-19, IG-17, JI-20: Skulls and skeletons with feather impressions.

 

CHIAPPE & MENG, 2016

Locality: Liaoning Province, China.

Horizon: Yixian Formation.

Biostratigraphy:

Age: Early Cretaceous.

Material:

HGM-41HIII0400: Skull and skeleton of a male.

Note: With feather impressions.

 

DALSÄTT, ZHOU, ZHANG & ERICSON, 2006

Locality: Dapingfang locality, near Chaoyang, Liaoning Province, China.

Horizon: Jiufotang Formation.

Biostratigraphy:

Age: Aptain Stage, Middle Gallic Subepoch, Upper Early Cretaceous Epoch, Early Cretaceous.

Material:

IVPP V13313: Skull and skeleton.
Note: Feather impressions.
Note: Has fish bones of Jinanichthys sp in its lower neck region.

ELZANOWSKI, PETERS & MAYR, 2018

Locality: Liaoning Province, China.

Horizon: Yixian Formation.

Biostratigraphy:

Age: Early Cretaceous.

Material:

MHNF 11186 Freiburg specimen, NHMW 1997z0112/001 Vienna Specimen, SMF Av 420, SMF Av 418-419, Basel specimen NMB Ca 258, MB.Av.1168 Berlin Specimen, JME 2005/1: Skulls and skeletons.

HOU, 1997

Locality: Sihetun Village, near the town of Shangyuan (Shangyuanzhen), Beipiao City (Beipiaoshi), Liaoning Province, China.

Horizon: Horizon 1, Lower part of the Yixian Formation, Jehol Group.

Biostratigraphy: Psittacosaurus Fauna, Confuciusornis Avifauna.

Age: Valanginian Stage, Upper Neocomian Subepoch, Early Early Cretaceous Epoch, Early Cretaceous.

Material:

IVPP 110304: Fragmentary skeleton with feather impressions.

ZHANG, KEARNS, ORR, BENTON, ZHOU, JOHNSON, XU & WANG, 2010

IVPP V13171: Skull and skeleton with feather impressions.

Note With skin impressions (McNAMARA, ZHANG, KEARNS, ORR, TOULOUSE, FOLEY, HONE, ROGERS, BENTON, JOHNSON, XU & ZHOU, 2018).

 

HOU, MARTIN, ZHOU & FEDUCCIA, 1996

IVPP 4 complete specimens.

ANONYMOUS, 1996/EDWIN HARRIS (private collector/seller): Specimens ranging in size of juveniles to adult males, and females.

7 nearly complete specimens.

CHIAPPE, JI, JI & NORELL, 1999

GMV-2130, 2131, 2132, 2133 : Nearly complete specimens with feathers.

Confuciusornis sanctus (after CHIAPPE, JI, JI & NORELL, 1999) GMV-2130.

Confuciusornis sanctus (after CHIAPPE, JI, JI & NORELL, 1999), GMV-2332.

GMV-2141, 2142, 2146-54, SMFAv-412, 416, 421, 423, JM-Ukr-1997/1, 1996/15 (last two specimens were also in VIOHL, 1997): Specimens in various degrees of preservation with feather impressions.

GMV-2150: Male with long tail feathers.

GMV-2148: composite specimen with ‘faked feet’.

GMV-2153: Two specimens with sculptured manus (larger) and foot (smaller specimen).


FALK, KAYE, ZHOU, & BURNHAM, 2016

IVPP V13168, V13156: Nearly complete specimens, with feather, and skin impressions.

 = Confuciusornis sp GOERNERMANN, 1999, ELZANOWSKI, MANEGOLD & PETERS, 2005

Bonn specimen (Private collection): Nearly complete specimen.
Note: May be a new species.

GUAN, CHIAPPE & HU, 1998

BVP-2066: Skull and nearly complete skeleton with feather impressions.

PETERS & JI, 1999

Forschungsinstitut Senkkenberg, Frankfurt und Main, SMF Av416: Skull showing it’s a diapsid.

Naturhistorisches Museum, Wein, 1997 z 0112: Skull and fragmentary specimen showing it’s a diapsid.

De RICQLES, PADIAN, HORNER, LAMM & MYHRVOLD, 2003

NGMC 98-8-2: Nearly complete specimen missing skull and neck.

ZHENG, O'CONNOR, WANG, WANG, XUWEI, ZHANG & ZOU, 2020

STM13-133: Nearly complete specimen.

Note: With feather impressions and rhampotheca on the beak.

STM13-162: Nearly complete specimen.

Note: With feather impressions and rhampotheca on the beak.

Note: 601 more specimens in the collection.

Horizon brake down by

WANG, WANG, WANG, XU, TANG, ZHANG, HU, GU & HAO, 1998

Locality: Sihetun, Shangyuan (Shangyuanzhen), Beipiao City (Beipiaoshi), Western Liaoning Province, Northeastern China.

Horizon: Yixian Formation.

Biostratigraphy:

Age: Early Cretaceous.
Note: Yixian Formation, third member, grey, grayish-black, grayish-white shale with light yellow sandstone, siltstone, silty mudstone and more than 10 layers of light yellow tuffite, tuffaceous sandstone and mudstone, Early Cretaceous.

Material:

Number: Not given:

CHIAPPE & MENG, 2016

LPM-0228: 3 male specimens.

Note: With feather impressions.

LPM-0229: 2 femal specimens.

DNHM-D2859, DNHM-D2151, DNHM-D2454: Male specimens.

Note: With feather impressions.

BMNHC-PH766, BMNHC-PH925, BMNHC-PH986, BMNHC-PH987: Skulls and skeletons.

Note: With feather impressions.

LPM-0233: Skull and skeleton of a female.

Note: With feather impressions.

NIGPAS-139379: 2 specimens, one male and one female.

HGM-41HIII0401: Skull and skeleton.

Note: With feather impressions.

 

Locality: Sihetun, Shangyuan (Shangyuanzhen), Beipiao City (Beipiaoshi), Western Liaoning Province, Northeastern China.

Horizon: Tuchengzi Formation, first member, sandstone and sandstone with gravels, lower vertebrate-bearing horizon.

Biostratigraphy:

Age: Early Cretaceous.

Material:

Number: Not given:

 


Locality: Sihetun, Shangyuan (Shangyuanzhen), Beipiao City (Beipiaoshi), Western Liaoning Province, Northeastern China.

Horizon:

Biostratigraphy:

Age:
Note: Tuchengzi Formation, grayish-black shale with light yellow, yellow-brown fine sandstone and siltstone, upper and light-yellow, yellow-brown fine sandstone and siltstone lower part is complied of interbedded grayish-black shale and yellow-brown mudstone, Early Cretaceous.

Material:

Number: Not given:

WOGELIUS, MANNING, BARDEN, EDWARDS, WEBB, SELLERS, TAYLOR, LARSON, DODOSON, YOU, DA-QING & BERGMANN

Locality:

Horizon:

Biostratigraphy:

Age:

Material:

MGSF315: Nearly complete specimen with feather impressions.

Note: Authors used the specimen to see what color it was.

= Confuciusorins chuonzhous HOU, 1997
Etymology: For the former name of the city of Beipiao, « Chuanzhou ». The city name was established in 951 AD, resurrected in the Yuan Dynasty under the Khan Tartars, but abandoned in the Ming Dynasy. The specimen was excavated from within the political juridiction of Beipiao.
= Confuciusorins meidus HOU, 1997 (sic)

Holotype: IVPP 10919

Locality: Village of Huangbanji (Huangbanjigou), Shangyuan (Shangyuanzhen), Beipiao City (Beipiaoshi), Western Liaoning Province, China.

Horizon: Horizon 1, Lower part of the Yixian Formation (Chaomindianzi Formation), Jehol Group.

Biostratigraphy: Psittacosaurus Fauna, Confuciusornis Avifauna.

Age: Valanginian Stage, Upper Neocomian Subepoch, Early Early Cretaceous Epoch, Early Cretaceous.

Material: Hind foot.

 

= Confuciusorins suniae HOU, 1997
Etymology: « Sun » being pinyin romanization for the surname of the wife of the private collector, Mr. Shikuan Liang, who provided the specimen to IVPP study. The nomenclature is in dedication of her virtuosos character. The author stands in complete admiration of the couple’s sincere, faithful, and loving relationship, and concurs with colleagues that this new species of Confuciusornis should commemorate Ms. Sun through her family name.
= Confuciusorins shuzhi HOU, 1997 (sic)

Holotype: IVPP 11038

Locality: Village of Sihetun (Sihetuncun), town of Shagyuan, Chaoyang County, Beipiao City, Western Liaoning Province China.

Horizon: Horizon 1, Lower part of the Yixian Formation (Chaomindianzi Formation), Jehol Group.

Biostratigraphy: Psittacosaurus Fauna, Confuciusornis Avifauna.

Age: Valanginian Stage, Upper Neocomian Subepoch, Early Early Cretaceous Epoch, Early Cretaceous.

Material: Nearly complete specimen.

Horizon brake down by WANG, WANG, WANG, XU, TANG, ZHANG, HU, GU & HAO, 1998

Locality: Sihetun, western Liaoning Province, Northeastern China.

Horizon:

Biostratigraphy:

Age:
Note: Yixian Formation, third member, grey, grayish-black, grayish-white shale with light yellow sandstone, siltstone, silty mudstone and more than 10 layers of light yellow tuffite, tuffaceous sandstone and mudstone, Early Cretaceous.

Material:

Number: Not given:

 


Locality: Sihetun, western Liaoning Province, Northeastern China.

Horizon: Tuchengzi Formation, first member, sandstone and sandstone with gravels, lower vertebrate-bearing horizon.

Biostratigraphy:

Age: Early Cretaceous.

Material:

Number: Not given:

 


Locality: Sihetun, western Liaoning Province, Northeastern China.

Horizon: Tuchengzi Formation, grayish-black shale with light yellow, yellow-brown fine sandstone and siltstone, upper and light-yellow, yellow-brown fine sandstone and siltstone upper part of the fourth cycle is grayish-black shale.

Biostratigraphy:

Age: Early Cretaceous.

Material:

Number: Not given:

= Jinzhournis yixianensis HOU, ZHOU, ZHANG & GU, 2002
Etymology: In reference to the county of Yixian.

Holotype:

Locality: Wutun, Jinzhou City, Yixian County, Liaoning Province, China.

Horizon: Yixian Formation.

Biostratigraphy:

Age: Early Cretaceous.

Material: Skull and fragmentary skeleton.


= Jinzhournis zhangjiyingia HOU, ZHOU, ZHANG & GU, 2002
Etymology: In reference to the type locality, Zhangjiying, Liaoning Province, China.

Holotype: IVPP V.12352

Locality: Heitizigou, Zhangjiying, Beipiao City, Liaoning Province, China.

Horizon: Lower Yixian Formation.

Biostratigraphy:

Age: Early Cretaceous.

Material: Nearly complete specimen.


= Jinzhouornis deliates ZHANG, 2007 (nomen nudum)
Etymology:

Holotype:

Locality: Liaoxi, Yixian County, Liaoning Province, China.

Horizon:

Biostratigraphy:

Age: Early Cretaceous.

Material: Fragmentary skull and fragmentary skeleton.

Note: With feathers on the body and wings.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Species: dui HOU, MARTIN, ZHOU, FEDUCCIA & ZHANG, 1999
Etymology: The specimens name is dedicated to Mr. Wenya Du, who collected and donated the specimen to the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) for scientific research.

Holotype: IVPP V 11553

Locality: Libalanggou, Zhangjiying, Beipiao City, Liaoning Province, Northeast China.

Horizon: Horizon 1, Lower part of the Yixian Formation, Jehol Group.

Biostratigraphy: Psittacosaurus Fauna, Confuciusornis Avifauna.

Age: Valanginian Stage, Upper Neocomian Subepoch, Early Early Cretaceous Epoch, Early Cretaceous.

Material: A nearly complete skeleton with two long tail feathers.

 

Confuciusornis dui (after HOU, et al., 1999), Holotype: IVPP V 11553.

Paratype: IVPP 11521: A partial skeleton consisting of a sternum, ribs, vertebrae, pelvis, femora and tail.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Species: feducciai ZHANG, GAO, MENG, LIU,HOU & ZHENG, 2009
Etymology: In honor of Professor Alan Feduccia of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for his contribution to the study of the origin and evolution of birds.

Holotype: Dalian Natural Museum, D2454

Locality: Sihetun, Shangyuan, Beipiao City, Liaoning Province, China.

Horizon: Yixian Formation, Jehol Group.

Biostratigraphy:

Age: Valanginian Stage, Upper Neocomian Subepoch, Early Early Cretaceous Epoch, Early Cretaceous.

Material: Skull and skeleton.

Note: Feather impressions.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Species: jianchangensis LI, WANG & HOU, 2010
Etymology: In reference to the Jianchang, where the specimen was found.

Holotype: PMOL-AB00114

Locality: Toudaoyingzi, Jianchang County, Liaoning Province, China.

Horizon: Jiufotang Formation.

Biostratigraphy:

Age: Aptain Stage, Middle Gallic Subepoch, Upper Early Cretaceous Epoch, Early Cretaceous.

Material: Fragmentary skull and fragmentary skeleton.

Confuciusornis jianchangensis (after LI, WANG & HOU, 2010), Holotype: PMOL-AB00114.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Species: shifan WANG, HU, ZHANG, WANG, ZHAO, SULLIVAN & XU, 2022
Etymology: Mandarian, shifan, "paragon of all teachers", in honor of Confucius. The name also commemorates the 70th anniversary of Sheyang Normal University (Sheyang Shifan Daxue).

Holotype: PMOL-AB00178

Locality: Xiaotaizi Village, Lamadong Town, Jianchang County, Liaoning Province, China.

Horizon: Second unit, Jiufotang Formation.

Biostratigraphy:

Age: Early Cretaceous.

Material: Fragmentary skull and fragmentary skeleton.