Origin and Evolution of Birds

Fascinating life sciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 1 - 154

Published: Jan. 1, 2023

Language: Английский

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Whence the birds: 200 years of dinosaurs, avian antecedents

Biology Letters, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 21(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Among the most revolutionary insights emerging from 200 years of research on dinosaurs is that clade Dinosauria represented by approximately 11 000 living species birds. Although origin birds among has been reviewed extensively, recent have witnessed tremendous progress in our understanding deep evolutionary origins numerous distinctive avian anatomical systems. These advances enabled exciting new fossil discoveries, leading to an ever-expanding phylogenetic framework with which pinpoint characteristic features. The present review focuses four notable systems whose Mesozoic history greatly clarified discoveries: brain, kinetic palate, pectoral girdle and postcranial skeletal pneumaticity.

Language: Английский

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The trophic habits of early birds

Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 513, P. 178 - 195

Published: March 18, 2018

Language: Английский

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Vertebrate assemblages of the Jurassic Yanliao Biota and the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota: Comparisons and implications

Palaeoworld, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 26(2), P. 241 - 252

Published: Jan. 22, 2017

Language: Английский

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The wings before the bird: an evaluation of flapping-based locomotory hypotheses in bird antecedents

PeerJ, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 4, P. e2159 - e2159

Published: July 7, 2016

Background: Powered flight is implicated as a major driver for the success of birds. Here we examine effectiveness three hypothesized pathways evolution stroke, forelimb motion that powers aerial locomotion, in terrestrial setting across range stem and basal avians: flap running, Wing Assisted Incline Running (WAIR), wing-assisted leaping. Methods: Using biomechanical mathematical models based on known aerodynamic principals vivo experiments ground truthed using extant avians seek to test if an incipient stroke may have contributed sufficient force permit WAIR, or leaping takeoff along phylogenetic lineage from Coelurosauria Results: None these behaviours were found meet threshold requirements before Paraves. Neither was there continuous trend refinement any performances phylogeny nor signal universal applicability near origin flap-based locomotory appear been influence pre-flight character acquisition such pennaceous feathers, suggesting non-locomotory behaviours, less stringent balancing braking, played role maniraptoran wing nascent stroke. We find no support widespread prevalence WAIR non-avian theropods, but can’t reject its presence large winged, small-bodied taxa like Microraptor Archaeopteryx . Discussion: our first principles approach “near flight” locomotor behaviors are most sensitive area, related selection regimes likely expanded area well other possible derived avians. These results suggest investigations drivers expansion feather elongation theropods need not be intrinsically linked adaptations, this separation critical understanding powered avian evolution.

Language: Английский

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A bizarre Early Cretaceous enantiornithine bird with unique crural feathers and an ornithuromorph plough-shaped pygostyle

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 8(1)

Published: Jan. 31, 2017

Enantiornithes are the most successful clade of Mesozoic birds. Here, we describe a new enantiornithine bird, Cruralispennia multidonta gen. et sp. nov., from Protopteryx-horizon Early Cretaceous Huajiying Formation China. Despite being among oldest known enantiornithines, displays derived morphologies that unexpected at such an early stage in evolution this clade. A plough-shaped pygostyle, like Ornithuromorpha, evolved convergently lineage, highlighting homoplastic nature avian evolution. The extremely slender coracoid morphology was previously unknown enantiornithines but is common Late taxa, indicating by 131 million years ago had already experienced considerable morphological differentiation. preserves unusual crural feathers proximally wire-like with filamentous distal tips, morphotype fossil or modern feathers, further increasing diversity primitive feather morphologies.

Language: Английский

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The evolution of the modern avian digestive system: insights from paravian fossils from the Yanliao and Jehol biotas

Palaeontology, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 63(1), P. 13 - 27

Published: Nov. 6, 2019

Abstract The avian digestive system, like other aspects of biology, is highly modified relative to reptiles. Together these modifications have imparted the great success Neornithes, most diverse clade amniotes alive today. It important understand when and how modern system evolved among neornithine ancestors in order elucidate evolutionary this biology stem birds their closest dinosaurian relatives: Mesozoic Paraves. Although direct preservation soft tissue has not yet been reported, ingested remains anatomical location preserved articulated fossils hint at structure its abilities. Almost all data concerning evidence diet Paraves comes from either Upper Jurassic Yanliao Biota or Lower Cretaceous Jehol Biota, both which are known deposits north‐eastern China. Here, sum gleaned thousands exceptionally well‐preserved paravians interpreted with regards evolution feeding apparatus. This information suggests intrinsic differences between closely related lineages implying strong homoplasy that each lineage non‐ornithuromorph was specialized. Regardless, capabilities appear be limited Ornithuromorpha, although complete set derived characters restricted Neornithes.

Language: Английский

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Rates of morphological evolution are heterogeneous in Early Cretaceous birds

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 283(1828), P. 20160214 - 20160214

Published: April 6, 2016

The Early Cretaceous is a critical interval in the early history of birds. Exceptional fossils indicate that important evolutionary novelties such as pygostyle and keeled sternum had already arisen taxa, bridging much morphological gap between Archaeopteryx crown However, detailed features basal bird evolution remain obscure because both small sample fossil taxa previously considered lack quantitative studies assessing rates evolution. Here we apply recently available phylogenetic method associated sensitivity tests to large data matrix characters quantify Our results reveal although were highly heterogeneous different avian lineages, consistent patterns significantly high or low harder pinpoint. Nevertheless, evidence for accelerated strongest at point when Ornithuromorpha (the clade comprises all extant birds descendants from their most recent common ancestors) split Enantiornithes (a diverse went extinct end-Cretaceous), with hypothesis this key opened up new niches ultimately led greater diversity these two dominant clades Mesozoic

Language: Английский

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Forty new specimens of Ichthyornis provide unprecedented insight into the postcranial morphology of crownward stem group birds

PeerJ, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 10, P. e13919 - e13919

Published: Dec. 16, 2022

Ichthyornis has long been recognized as a pivotally important fossil taxon for understanding the latest stages of dinosaur–bird transition, but little significant new postcranial material brought to light since initial descriptions partial skeletons in 19 th Century. Here, we present information on morphology from 40 previously undescribed specimens, providing most complete morphological assessment skeleton date. The includes four partially and numerous well-preserved isolated elements, enabling anatomical observations such muscle attachments Mesozoic euornitheans. Among elements that were unknown or poorly represented , specimens include an almost-complete axial series, hypocleideum-bearing furcula, radial carpal bones, fibulae, tarsometatarsus bearing rudimentary hypotarsus, one first-known nearly three-dimensional sterna avialan. Several pedal phalanges are preserved, revealing remarkably enlarged pes presumably related foot-propelled swimming. Although diagnosable exhibit substantial degree variation, some which may relate ontogenetic changes. Phylogenetic analyses incorporating our data employing alternative datasets recover stemward Hesperornithes Iaceornis line with recent hypotheses regarding topology crownward-most portion avian stem group, establish phylogenetically-defined clade names relevant avialan subclades help facilitate consistent discourse future work. provided by these improves evolution among non-neornithine avialans immediately preceding origin crown group birds.

Language: Английский

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Exceptional preservation of soft tissue in a new specimen of Eoconfuciusornis and its biological implications

National Science Review, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 4(3), P. 441 - 452

Published: Jan. 30, 2017

Abstract We report on an exceptional specimen of Eoconfuciusornis preserving rare soft-tissue traces the ovary and wing. Ovarian follicles preserve a greater hierarchy than observed in Jeholornis enantiornithines, suggesting confuciusornithiforms evolved higher rates yolk deposition parallel with neornithine lineage. The preserved soft tissues wing indicate presence propatagium postpatagium, whereas alular patagium is absent. Preserved remnants internal support network bear remarkable similarity to that living birds. Soft tissue suggests confuciusornithiform could maintain cambered profile generate lift. feathers their original patterning; however, this not strongly reflected by observable differences under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). tail plumage lacks elongate rectrices, earliest known were sexually dimorphic plumage.

Language: Английский

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