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jinfengopteryx — Zhongjianornis yangi
Published: 2009-07-14 06:01:13 +0000 UTC; Views: 1462; Favourites: 1; Downloads: 20
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Description
Zhongjianornis yangi 杨钟健鸟about this ancient bird:
"The creature, named Zhongjianornis yangi, was about the size of a pigeon and was preserved in almost pristine condition in an ancient lake at Liaoning in north eastern China - suggesting it was an acquatic bird like ducks.
Its nearly complete adult skeleton - which had a long, pointed snout and toothless upper and lower jaws - sheds new light on the evolution of the beak.
It lived during a period known as the Early Cretaceous and now represents the most primitive bird ever discovered that had no teeth.
Researchers say their findings, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, suggest tooth loss was more common than expected in early avian development.
They say the bird beak appeared independently in several avian lineages, most likely as a response to selective pressure for weight reduction.
Zhongjianornis probably fed on fish, catching them on the wing from the surface layer of freshwater reservoirs.
It rested, and may even have nested, in canopies of abundant tropical vegetation. Unable to climb from the ground, it must have climbed tree trunks to get airborne."
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