Oculudentavis Temporal range: Cenomanian,
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Holotype of O. naga 3D scan (top) and in ventral view (bottom) with arrows pointing to consumed flesh (top) and fly inclusions (bottom) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Genus: | †Oculudentavis Xing et al., 2020 |
Type species | |
†Oculudentavis khaungraae Xing et al., 2020
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Other species | |
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Oculudentavis is an extinct genus of lizard of uncertain taxonomic placement,[1] originally identified as an avialan dinosaur (bird, in the broad sense).[2] It contains two known species, O. khaungraae and O. naga. Each species is known from one partial fossil specimen in Burmese amber, which differ in several proportions.[3] Their skulls measure 1.4–1.7 centimetres (0.55–0.67 in) in length, indicating that Oculudentavis would have been comparable in size with the modern bee hummingbird if it were an avialan. Both specimens were retrieved from 99-million-year-old deposits of the Hukawng Basin in Kachin State, northern Myanmar. The type specimen of O. khaungraae is embroiled in controversy regarding its identity and the ethical issues surrounding the acquisition and study of Burmese amber. The original description advocating for an avialan identity was published in Nature, but has since then been retracted from the journal.[4]