Smit Original Early Drawing of Hesperornis & Icthyornis
SMIT, Joseph (1836-1929).
Hesperornis & Icthyornis.
Original Illustration in pen, ink and grey wash, heightened in white.
c.1905-1912.
10 5/8" x 7 1/4" sheet.
Original artwork for Henry R. Knipe's Nebula to Man. Illustrated on page 90.
1. Hesperornis (meaning "western bird") is a genus of cormorant-like bird that spanned the first half of the Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous period (83.5–78 mya). One of the lesser-known discoveries of the paleontologist O. C. Marsh in the late 19th century Bone Wars, it was an early find in the history of avian paleontology. Locations for Hesperornis fossils include the Late Cretaceous marine limestones from Kansas and the marine shales from Canada. Nine species are recognized, eight of which have been recovered from rocks in North America and one from Russia.
2. Ichthyornis (meaning "fish bird", after its fish-like vertebrae) is an extinct genus of toothed seabird-like ornithuran from the late Cretaceous period of North America. Its fossil remains are known from the chalks of Alberta, Alabama, Kansas (Greenhorn Limestone), New Mexico, Saskatchewan, and Texas, in strata that were laid down in the Western Interior Seaway during the Turonian through Campanian ages, about 95–83.5 million years ago. Ichthyornis is a common component of the Niobrara Formation fauna, and numerous specimens have been found.
Ichthyornis has been historically important in shedding light on bird evolution. It was the first known prehistoric bird relative preserved with teeth, and Charles Darwin noted its significance during the early years of the theory of evolution. Ichthyornis remains important today as it is one of the few Mesozoic era ornithurans known from more than a few specimens.
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SMIT, Joseph (1836-1929).
Hesperornis & Icthyornis.
Original Illustration in pen, ink and grey wash, heightened in white.
c.1905-1912.
10 5/8" x 7 1/4" sheet.
Original artwork for Henry R. Knipe's Nebula to Man. Illustrated on page 90.
1. Hesperornis (meaning "western bird") is a genus of cormorant-like bird that spanned the first half of the Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous period (83.5–78 mya). One of the lesser-known discoveries of the paleontologist O. C. Marsh in the late 19th century Bone Wars, it was an early find in the history of avian paleontology. Locations for Hesperornis fossils include the Late Cretaceous marine limestones from Kansas and the marine shales from Canada. Nine species are recognized, eight of which have been recovered from rocks in North America and one from Russia.
2. Ichthyornis (meaning "fish bird", after its fish-like vertebrae) is an extinct genus of toothed seabird-like ornithuran from the late Cretaceous period of North America. Its fossil remains are known from the chalks of Alberta, Alabama, Kansas (Greenhorn Limestone), New Mexico, Saskatchewan, and Texas, in strata that were laid down in the Western Interior Seaway during the Turonian through Campanian ages, about 95–83.5 million years ago. Ichthyornis is a common component of the Niobrara Formation fauna, and numerous specimens have been found.
Ichthyornis has been historically important in shedding light on bird evolution. It was the first known prehistoric bird relative preserved with teeth, and Charles Darwin noted its significance during the early years of the theory of evolution. Ichthyornis remains important today as it is one of the few Mesozoic era ornithurans known from more than a few specimens.
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