Ichthyonithiformes
           

                                                                                        Sternberg Museum of Natural History - Hays, KS

            The fossils of Ichthyonis
            is widely distributed in
            shallow marine deposits
            from the Late Cretaceous
            period in North America.
            Ichthyonis is considered a
            shore bird and was adapted
            to marine coastal habitats where
            vegetation and food would
            have been in abundant supply.
            Evidence for this life style
            include long jaws and                                    
            recurved teeth that would
            allow Ichthyonis to capture           
            small fish.  In relation to the
            body skeleton the skull is large                                   
            and contains a salt gland depression along the roof of the eye orbits.  Powerful wings
            and small feet also suggest that these birds were well adapted for life along the
            Cretaceous seaways (Gingerich 1972).