PLoS ONE,
Journal Year:
2020,
Volume and Issue:
15(2), P. e0211173 - e0211173
Published: Feb. 5, 2020
Claws
are
involved
in
a
number
of
behaviours
including
locomotion
and
prey
capture,
as
result
animals
evolve
claw
morphologies
that
enable
these
functions.
Past
authors
have
found
geometry
the
keratinous
sheath
to
correlate
with
mode
life
for
extant
birds
squamates;
this
relationship
has
frequently
been
cited
infer
lifestyles
Mesozoic
theropods
Archaeopteryx.
However,
many
fossil
claws
lack
sheaths
thus
cannot
be
analysed
using
current
methods.
As
ungual
phalanx
within
is
more
commonly
preserved
record,
bone
may
provide
useful
metric
paleontological
analysis.
In
study,
bones
108
5
squamates
were
imaged
X-ray
techniques
was
between
curvatures
pedal
digit
III
four
modes
life;
ground-dwelling,
perching,
predatory,
scansorial;
linear
discriminant
analysis
weighted
accuracy
equal
0.79.
Our
model
predicts
arboreal
Archaeopteryx
Microraptor
predatory
ecology
Confuciusornis.
These
findings
demonstrate
utility
our
answering
questions
palaeoecology,
theropod-bird
transition,
evolution
avian
flight.
Though
exhibits
strong
correlation
lifestyle,
morphospaces
PD-III
overlap
so
should
considered
alongside
additional
evidence.
Scientific Reports,
Journal Year:
2019,
Volume and Issue:
9(1)
Published: July 25, 2019
The
growing
availability
of
virtual
cranial
endocasts
extinct
and
extant
vertebrates
has
fueled
the
quest
for
endocranial
characters
that
discriminate
between
phylogenetic
groups
resolve
their
neural
significances.
We
used
geometric
morphometrics
to
compare
a
phylogenetically
ecologically
comprehensive
data
set
archosaurian
along
deep
evolutionary
history
modern
birds
found
this
lineage
experienced
progressive
elevation
encephalisation
through
several
chapters
increased
doming
we
demonstrate
result
from
progenetic
developments.
Elevated
associated
with
size
reduction
within
Maniraptoriformes
was
secondarily
exapted
flight
by
stem
avialans.
Within
Mesozoic
Avialae,
in
at
least
some
Ornithurae,
yet
remained
relatively
modest
early
Neornithes.
During
Paleogene,
volant
non-neoavian
retained
ancestral
levels
endocast
where
broad
neoavian
niche
diversification
heterochronic
brain
shape
radiation,
as
did
non-volant
Palaeognathae.
infer
comparable
developments
underlying
establishment
pterosaurian
shapes.
PLoS ONE,
Journal Year:
2020,
Volume and Issue:
15(2), P. e0211173 - e0211173
Published: Feb. 5, 2020
Claws
are
involved
in
a
number
of
behaviours
including
locomotion
and
prey
capture,
as
result
animals
evolve
claw
morphologies
that
enable
these
functions.
Past
authors
have
found
geometry
the
keratinous
sheath
to
correlate
with
mode
life
for
extant
birds
squamates;
this
relationship
has
frequently
been
cited
infer
lifestyles
Mesozoic
theropods
Archaeopteryx.
However,
many
fossil
claws
lack
sheaths
thus
cannot
be
analysed
using
current
methods.
As
ungual
phalanx
within
is
more
commonly
preserved
record,
bone
may
provide
useful
metric
paleontological
analysis.
In
study,
bones
108
5
squamates
were
imaged
X-ray
techniques
was
between
curvatures
pedal
digit
III
four
modes
life;
ground-dwelling,
perching,
predatory,
scansorial;
linear
discriminant
analysis
weighted
accuracy
equal
0.79.
Our
model
predicts
arboreal
Archaeopteryx
Microraptor
predatory
ecology
Confuciusornis.
These
findings
demonstrate
utility
our
answering
questions
palaeoecology,
theropod-bird
transition,
evolution
avian
flight.
Though
exhibits
strong
correlation
lifestyle,
morphospaces
PD-III
overlap
so
should
considered
alongside
additional
evidence.