omnivoropterygidae

{{Short description|Extinct family of dinosaurs}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| name = Omnivoropterygids

| fossil_range = Early Cretaceous, {{fossil range|124.5|120|latest=66}} (possible Late Cretaceous record)

| image = Sapeornis chaoyangensis.JPG

| image_caption = Fossil specimen of Sapeornis chaoyangensis, Hong Kong Science Museum

| taxon = Omnivoropterygidae

| authority = Czerkas & Ji, 2002

| display_parents = 2

| type_species = {{extinct}}Omnivoropteryx sinousaorum

| type_species_authority = Czerkas & Ji, 2002

| subdivision_ranks = Genera

| subdivision = * {{extinct}}Falcatakely?

• {{extinct}}Omnivoropteryx
• {{extinct}}Sapeornis
• {{extinct}}Zhongornis?

| synonyms = * Sapeornithidae Zhou & Zhang, 2006

}}

Omnivoropterygidae (meaning "omnivorous wings") is a family of primitive avialan dinosaurs known exclusively from the Jiufotang Formation of China, though putative omnivoropterygids are known from the Maevarano Formation of the Maastrichtian of Madagascar.O'Connor and Forster, 2010. A Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) avifauna from the Maevarano Formation, Madagascar. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 30(4), 1178-1201. They had short skeletal tails and unusual skulls with teeth in the upper, but not lower, jaws. Their unique dentition has led some scientists to suggest an omnivorous diet for them.Czerkas, S. A. & Ji, Q. (2002). "A preliminary report on an omnivorous volant bird from northeast China." In: Czerkas, S. J. (editor): Feathered Dinosaurs and the origin of flight. The Dinosaur Museum Journal 1: 127-135. [http://www.dinosaur-museum.org/featheredinosaurs/chapters.htm#Omnivoropteryx HTML abstract] The family was named by Stephen A. Czerkas & Qiang Ji in 2002, though its junior synonym Sapeornithidae is often used instead, though it was named four years later in 2006.Hu, D., Li, L., Hou, L., and Xu, X. (2010). "A new sapeornithid bird from China and its implication for early avian evolution." Acta Geologica Sinica, (English Edition) 84(3): 472-482. {{doi|10.1111/j.1755-6724.2010.00188.x}} It is the only named family in the order Omnivoropterygiformes.