Genus: Qiliania JI, ATTERHOLT, O’CONNOR, LAMANNA, HARRIS, LI, YOU & DODSON, 2011
Etymology: Qilian ('heaven' in the language of the Xiongnu, an ancient confederation of nomadic tribes that inhabited central Asia), for the Qilian Mountains that lie to the south of the Changma Basin.The generic name is fashioned after that of the only other fossil bird thus far named from Changma, Gansus, in that it referes to the local geographical feature but eschews a traditional avian suffix.
= Nova LAMANNA, YOU, JI, LU, JI, & CHIAPPE, 2005

Species: graffini JI, ATTERHOLT, O’CONNOR, LAMANNA, HARRIS, LI, YOU & DODSON, 2011
Etymology: In honor of Dr. Gregory Graffin, lecturer at the University of California, Los Angeles and co-founder of the musical group Bad Religion, for his contributions to evolutionary biology, his public outreach through music, and his inspiration to young scientists around the world.
= Genus: Nova LAMANNA, YOU, JI, LU, JI, & CHIAPPE, 2005

Holotype: GSGM-F00004 (was FRDC-05-CM-006)

Locality: Near the village of Changma, Changma Prefecture, Yumen Municipality, Kansu (Gansu) Provine, northwestern China.

Note: Precise locality information is available to qualified researchers upon request.

Horizon: Xiagou Formation.

Biostratigraphy:

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

Material: A nearly complete left pelvic girdle and limb, lacking only the preacetabular portion of the ilium and the femoral head.

Referred material:

GSGM-F00003 (was FRDC-04-CM-006): A partial right pelvic limb consisting of the femur missing its proximal end, the complete tibiotarsus, and the trasometarsus lacking its distal end.