Ilmselgetiformes

Ilmselgetiformes is a fictional order of birds introduced in scholarly exercises to illustrate challenges in avian taxonomy and paleontology. It is not recognized as a valid clade by current consensus.

In the intended scenario, Ilmselgetiformes comprises several small, early-diverging avian lineages known only from fragmentary fossil remains dating to the late Cretaceous through early Paleogene. Because remains are fragmentary, the diagnostic features are hypothetical; common characterizations include a light skeleton and a mix of primitive and derived traits. The composition and boundaries of Ilmselgetiformes vary among reconstructions, with some authorities interpreting it as a stem group of modern birds and others treating it as a polyphyletic assembly requiring reassessment.

Fossil material attributed to Ilmselgetiformes is scarce and geographically scattered, coming from multiple continents and often from sites yielding only partial skeletons or single bones. No consensus exists on its temporal range or precise phylogenetic position.

In use as a pedagogical tool, Ilmselgetiformes highlights how taxonomic constructs can arise from incomplete data and how later analyses may revise such groups.