Odontognathae is a disused name for aparaphyletic group of toothed prehistoric birds. The group was originally proposed byAlexander Wetmore, who attempted to link fossil birds with the presence of teeth, specifically of the ordersHesperornithiformes andIchthyornithiformes. As such they would be regarded astransitional fossils between thereptile-like "Archaeornithes" likeArchaeopteryx andmodern birds. They were described byRomer as birds with essentially modern anatomy, but retaining teeth.[1]
Unlike the dinosaur-like "Archaeornithes", the various types of birds assigned to the Odontognathae had short tails with aplowshare-shapedpygostyle and a well developedcarina for flight muscle. They also shared the feature of intramandibular articulation, something that is actually absent inArchaeopteryx, but found in many of itstheropod relatives.[2]
The brains of the "odontognath" birds appear to be somewhat simpler than those ofmodern birds and have retained some "reptilian" traits.[3] OrnithologistAlan Feduccia has used this, and the presence of the intramandibular articulation (a trait also found inmosasaurs and livingvaranid lizards) as arguments that the Odontognathae and thus the birds as a whole have not evolved from theropod dinosaurs, but non-dinosaurthecodonts.[4] This theory is contested by mostpaleontologists.[5]
Classically, Odontognathae was considered one of three superorders ofNeornithes (modern birds) as opposed toArchaeornithes (the ancient birds). Today the name Neornithes is commonly used for the birdcrown group, the Odontognathae being united with them the groupOrnithurae.[6]