Fred Ruhe
Well-known member
Di Liu, Luis M. Chiappe, Francisco Serrano, Michael Habib, Yuguang Zhang, & Qinjing Meng, 2017
Flight aerodynamics in enantiornithines: Information from a new Chinese Early Cretaceous bird
PLoS ONE 12(10): e0184637
Free pdf: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0184637&type=printable
Abstract:
We describe an exquisitely preserved new avian fossil (BMNHC-PH-919) from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of eastern Inner Mongolia, China. Although morphologically similar to Cathayornithidae and other small-sized enantiornithines from China's Jehol Biota, many morphological features indicate that it represents a new species, here named Junornis houi. The new fossil displays most of its plumage including a pair of elongated, rachisdominated tail feathers similarly present in a variety of other enantiornithines. BMNHC-PH-919 represents the first record of a Jehol enantiornithine from Inner Mongolia, thus extending the known distribution of these birds into the eastern portion of this region. Furthermore, its well-preserved skeleton and wing outline provide insight into the aerodynamic performance of enantiornithines, suggesting that these birds had evolved bounding flight - a flight mode common to passeriforms and other small living birds - as early as 125 million years ago.
This bird was already illustrated and mentioned by name in Lios M. Chiappe & Meng Qingjin, 2016: Birds of Stone, where it is a Nomen Nudum.
Enjoy,
Fred
Flight aerodynamics in enantiornithines: Information from a new Chinese Early Cretaceous bird
PLoS ONE 12(10): e0184637
Free pdf: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0184637&type=printable
Abstract:
We describe an exquisitely preserved new avian fossil (BMNHC-PH-919) from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of eastern Inner Mongolia, China. Although morphologically similar to Cathayornithidae and other small-sized enantiornithines from China's Jehol Biota, many morphological features indicate that it represents a new species, here named Junornis houi. The new fossil displays most of its plumage including a pair of elongated, rachisdominated tail feathers similarly present in a variety of other enantiornithines. BMNHC-PH-919 represents the first record of a Jehol enantiornithine from Inner Mongolia, thus extending the known distribution of these birds into the eastern portion of this region. Furthermore, its well-preserved skeleton and wing outline provide insight into the aerodynamic performance of enantiornithines, suggesting that these birds had evolved bounding flight - a flight mode common to passeriforms and other small living birds - as early as 125 million years ago.
This bird was already illustrated and mentioned by name in Lios M. Chiappe & Meng Qingjin, 2016: Birds of Stone, where it is a Nomen Nudum.
Enjoy,
Fred
