New bird remains from the early Eocene Nanjemoy Formation of Virginia (USA), including the first records of the Messelasturidae, Psittacopedidae, and Zygodactylidae from the Fisher/Sullivan site

We report new avian remains from the early Eocene Nanjemoy Formation of Fisher/Sullivan site in Virginia, USA. The fossil material includes first records Messelasturidae, Psittacopedidae, and Zygodactylidae Formation, with these taxa being widespread fairly common coeval North American European sites. Psittacopedidae are stem group representatives Passeriformes, a tibiotarsus assigned to is unusual that it lacks supratendinal bridge (this is, however, also absent psittacopedid taxon Pumiliornis). further more Charadriiformes corroborate previous tentative referral tarsometatarsus Parvicuculidae. It noted this latter bone likewise very similar Fluvioviridavidae, which indicates close affinities between two higher-level clades. Because comparatively small extent material, remarkable high number fossils represent previously unknown taxa. This supports hypothesis avifaunas featured taxonomic diversity, but clades showed low species richness. hypothesise may indicate rates cladogenetic diversification rather homogenous paleoenvironment.