Fred Ruhe
Well-known member
Federico L. Agnolin, Sebastián Rozadilla & Ismar de Souza Carvalho, 2018 (in press)
Praeornis sharovi Rautian, 1978 a fossil feather from the early Late Jurassic of Kazakhstan
Historical Biology Latest Articles
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08912963.2017.1413102
Abstract:
Since its original description as a feather belonging to a basal bird, the phylogenetic position of Praeornis sharovi was debated. It was considered as belonging to a bird, a cycad leaf, or as a ‘transitional’ integumentary structure between reptile scales and bird feathers. Recently, a basal enantiornithine bird was collected in Early Cretaceous beds of Brazil. This specimen shows very well-preserved rachis-dominated tail feathers with a very thick rachis and thick and rigid barbules. These features are present in Praeornis, suggesting that this fossil may be interpreted as the tail feather of a basal bird. In this way, Praeornis constitutes one of the oldest records of rachis-dominated feathers in the world. Rachis-dominated tail feathers, including that of Praeornis appear to be rigid paired structures not performed for aerodynamical purposes, suggesting that may be important in body balance.
Enjoy,
Fred
Praeornis sharovi Rautian, 1978 a fossil feather from the early Late Jurassic of Kazakhstan
Historical Biology Latest Articles
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08912963.2017.1413102
Abstract:
Since its original description as a feather belonging to a basal bird, the phylogenetic position of Praeornis sharovi was debated. It was considered as belonging to a bird, a cycad leaf, or as a ‘transitional’ integumentary structure between reptile scales and bird feathers. Recently, a basal enantiornithine bird was collected in Early Cretaceous beds of Brazil. This specimen shows very well-preserved rachis-dominated tail feathers with a very thick rachis and thick and rigid barbules. These features are present in Praeornis, suggesting that this fossil may be interpreted as the tail feather of a basal bird. In this way, Praeornis constitutes one of the oldest records of rachis-dominated feathers in the world. Rachis-dominated tail feathers, including that of Praeornis appear to be rigid paired structures not performed for aerodynamical purposes, suggesting that may be important in body balance.
Enjoy,
Fred
