Full reference: O. C. Marsh. 1872. Notice of some new Tertiary and post-Tertiary birds. The American Journal of Science and Arts, series 3 4(19-24):256-262
Parent taxon: Aves according to O. C. Marsh 1872
Sister taxa: Accipitriformes, Aegotheliformes, Avimimiformes, Avipedidae, Callaeidae, Chaoyangornithidae, Charadriiformes, Colymbiformes, Emeidae, Eoaves, Eremopezidae, Gansuiformes, Gastornithiformes, Hwangsanipes, Ignotornidae, Jeholornithiformes, Jindongornipodidae, Koreanornipodidae, Liaoxiornithidae, Manu, Meliphagidae, Metornithes, Monarchidae, Mystiornithiformes, Neornithes, Odontornithes, Omnivoropterygiformes, Ornithothoraces, Ornithurae, Palaeoaves, Pangalliformes, Pansphenisciformes, Petroicidae, Proornis, Protoaviformes, Pygostylia, Rahona, Sapeornithiformes, Shandongornipodidae, Sphenisciformes, Stereornithes, Struthiones, Tatarornipes, Trisauropodiscidae, Tshulia, Tubinares, Turnagridae, Uhangrichnus, Zhongjianornis, Zhongornis
Subtaxa: Aletornis bellus, Aletornis nobilis, Aletornis pernix, Aletornis venustus
Type: Aletornis nobilis
Ecology: ground dwelling carnivore