rikinsins

Rikinsins are a group of extinct birds that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 70 million years ago. They are known from fossils found in North America and Europe. Rikinsins are characterized by their unique combination of features, including a long, slender beak, a large, rounded skull, and a relatively small body size. They are believed to have been omnivorous, feeding on a variety of plant and animal materials.

The name "Rikinsins" comes from the genus name "Rikisaurus," which was first described in 1999. The genus name is derived from the Latin words "rixus" meaning "to fight" and "saurus" meaning "lizard," reflecting the aggressive nature of these birds. The name "rikinsins" is a collective term used to refer to all members of this group.

Rikinsins are part of the larger group of birds known as enantiornithines, which are considered to be one of the earliest diverging groups of modern birds. They are distinct from other enantiornithines in their unique combination of features, including their long, slender beak and large, rounded skull. The exact relationships of rikinsins to other birds are still a topic of ongoing research.

Despite their unique features, rikinsins are not considered to be closely related to modern birds. Instead, they are believed to have been an early offshoot of the bird evolutionary tree, diverging from the main line of bird evolution before the appearance of more familiar bird groups such as ratites and passerines.