Martinavis

Martinavis is known from only a few arm bones, mostly humeri. Scientists have named five different species based on these bones.1

The largest species, Martinavis vincei, was about 51 cm long and weighed around 1.8 kg. That is as heavy as a big chicken.1

Martinavis belonged to a group of ancient birds called enantiornithines. These birds had teeth and claws on their wings.1

Fossils of Martinavis have been found in France and Argentina. This shows that these birds lived in both Europe and South America during the Late Cretaceous.1

The type species, Martinavis cruzyensis, was named after the village of Cruzy in France where its fossil was found.1

Martinavis lived about 75 to 70 million years ago, during the Campanian and Maastrichtian stages of the Late Cretaceous.1