Mirarce

wonderful Arce (winged messenger)

• mira- · Latin · wonderful, astonishing
• Arce (Arke) · Greek · winged messenger of the Titans in mythology

Mirarce is a large enantiornithine (an extinct group of early birds) from the Late Cretaceous of Utah. The name combines the Latin "mirus" (wonderful or astonishing) with Arce (Arke), a winged messenger of the Titans in Greek mythology. It refers to the bird's remarkable size and its flying ability.

Named by

Atterholt et al.

Year named

2018

Period

Late Cretaceous

Stage

Campanian

Found in

Kaiparowits Formation, Utah, USA

Valid genus; the only known species is Mirarce eatoni. It is an enantiornithine bird, so it is an avian dinosaur and not a non-avian one. It was one of the largest known enantiornithines.