Ancient Bird Fossil Discovery in Fujian, China, Alters Understanding of Avian Evolution
The finding of Baminornis zhenghensis, a 150-million-year-old short-tailed bird fossil, suggests earlier origins of modern birds.
Chinese scientists have reported the discovery of Baminornis zhenghensis, the oldest known short-tailed bird fossil, in Zhenghe County, Fujian Province.
This fossil, dating back approximately 150 million years, indicates that the origins of birds may predate previous estimates by about 20 million years, pushing the timeline for the emergence of avian features back to the Late Jurassic Period.
The finding was made by a research team from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Fujian Institute of Geological Survey.
The study detailing the discovery was published in the journal Nature.
Notably, the fossil exhibits a pygostyle, a compound bone at the end of its tail, a characteristic found in modern birds.
This anatomical feature suggests that the evolutionary adaptations associated with modern birds were present much earlier than previously recognized.
The morphology of Baminornis zhenghensis includes a combination of traits; it possesses modern bird-like shoulder and pelvic girdles alongside characteristics reminiscent of non-avian dinosaurs in its forelimbs.
This mixture of features has prompted researchers to reconsider the evolutionary pathways that led to the development of birds.
Wang Min, a researcher involved in the study, highlighted that this discovery challenges the previously-held belief that Archaeopteryx was the sole representative of birds during the Jurassic Period.
Zhou Zhonghe, an academician at CAS, characterized the findings as a significant breakthrough in the field of paleontology.
The researchers propose that the earliest birds may have emerged even earlier, potentially between 172 million and 164 million years ago.
This hypothesis invites further investigation into the complex evolutionary history of birds and their ancestors.
The fossil discovery is expected to stimulate additional research into avian evolution and the environmental conditions of the Jurassic Period, contributing to a deeper understanding of the lineage that leads to present-day birds.
This fossil, dating back approximately 150 million years, indicates that the origins of birds may predate previous estimates by about 20 million years, pushing the timeline for the emergence of avian features back to the Late Jurassic Period.
The finding was made by a research team from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Fujian Institute of Geological Survey.
The study detailing the discovery was published in the journal Nature.
Notably, the fossil exhibits a pygostyle, a compound bone at the end of its tail, a characteristic found in modern birds.
This anatomical feature suggests that the evolutionary adaptations associated with modern birds were present much earlier than previously recognized.
The morphology of Baminornis zhenghensis includes a combination of traits; it possesses modern bird-like shoulder and pelvic girdles alongside characteristics reminiscent of non-avian dinosaurs in its forelimbs.
This mixture of features has prompted researchers to reconsider the evolutionary pathways that led to the development of birds.
Wang Min, a researcher involved in the study, highlighted that this discovery challenges the previously-held belief that Archaeopteryx was the sole representative of birds during the Jurassic Period.
Zhou Zhonghe, an academician at CAS, characterized the findings as a significant breakthrough in the field of paleontology.
The researchers propose that the earliest birds may have emerged even earlier, potentially between 172 million and 164 million years ago.
This hypothesis invites further investigation into the complex evolutionary history of birds and their ancestors.
The fossil discovery is expected to stimulate additional research into avian evolution and the environmental conditions of the Jurassic Period, contributing to a deeper understanding of the lineage that leads to present-day birds.
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