The near-perfect fossil skull discovered in Antarctica reveals a bridge between prehistoric and modern birds, new research has found.
Fossils are specimens of known species Vegavis Iaailived about 69 million years ago – over 2 million years ago A mass extinction that wiped out all non-vian dinosaurs.
Unlike other Mesozoic birds, they have long pointed beaks and brain shapes. This was markedly different from the species that evolved into the class of feathered creatures we see around us today.
since then Vegavis Explained 20 years ago, some paleontologists suspected the genus Maybe an early member of modern birds within Waterfowl order. Modern birds were very rare before, so others doubted it The impact of the asteroid caused extinction of its terminals.
But they definitely lacked the most important one Vegavisat least in terms of classification: a slightly matched skull.
“There are few birds that are likely to start as many debates among ornithologists as Vegavis.” say Lead author Christopher Torres, a paleontologist at Ohio University.
“This new fossil will help resolve many of these discussions. The main ones of them are: Vegavis Are you sitting on the bird of life tree? ”
The fossils of birds can be very delicate, and from this time there are few people who have been preserved in such a good form. Everything else Vegavis The specimens found so far were either head-excluded or skull bits.
Researchers suspect that the species survived mass extinction due to its location in Antarctica. This would have provided a temperate climate with lush vegetation at a time when other parts of the world were highly inhabited.
“Other parts of the world have characterized rapid environmental changes K – PG boundary It is generally marked by similarly rapid exchange of stem birds by crown birds, and then diversified early in the latter stages. Old stone“author write.
It will make V. IAII The best representative we have for the bridge between prehistoric and modern birds.
Researchers used X-ray microcomputing tomography to scan the skull and digitally reconstructed it in three dimensions to reveal details of the brain case, palate, pound, mandible, and brain shape.
The specimen suggests features that match modern waterfowl, but unlike today’s ducks and geese, V. Iaai It also had a thin, pointed beak and strong jaw muscles to snap fish. This is much more similar to the characteristics of today’s diving birds, such as the Grave and Runes.
It’s well developed Salt glands The nasal area of its beak is characterized by removing sodium chloride from the blood of several seabird species, with a high degree of seafood and as a result, high salt.
The rest of the fossil skeleton is built on top of this photo V. IaaiAquatic lifestyle with legs that straddle their feet in the water, pursuing swimming prey.
“Some places with substantial fossil records of late Cretaceous birds, such as Madagascar and Argentina, are associated only with modern birds, like strange bird birds with teeth and long bone tails. It makes clear that it hasn’t been done.” say Patrick O’Connor, a paleontologist at Ohio University.
“It seems that something very different is happening in the distance in the Southern Hemisphere, especially in the Antarctic.”
This study was published in Nature.
