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A new species of pengornithidae (aves: enantiornithes) from the lower cretaceous of China suggests a specialized scansorial habitat previously unknown in early birds - PubMed

  • ️Thu Jan 01 2015

A new species of pengornithidae (aves: enantiornithes) from the lower cretaceous of China suggests a specialized scansorial habitat previously unknown in early birds

Han Hu et al. PLoS One. 2015.

Abstract

We describe a new enantiornithine bird, Parapengornis eurycaudatus gen. et sp. nov. from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Liaoning, China. Although morphologically similar to previously described pengornithids Pengornis houi, Pengornis IVPP V18632, and Eopengornis martini, morphological differences indicate it represents a new taxon of the Pengornithidae. Based on new information from this specimen we reassign IVPP V18632 to Parapengornis sp. The well preserved pygostyle of the new specimen elucidates the morphology of this element for the clade, which is unique in pengornithids among Mesozoic birds. Similarities with modern scansores such as woodpeckers may indicate a specialized vertical climbing and clinging behavior that has not previously been inferred for early birds. The new specimen preserves a pair of fully pennaceous rachis-dominated feathers like those in the holotype of Eopengornis martini; together with the unique morphology of the pygostyle, this discovery lends evidence to early hypotheses that rachis-dominated feathers may have had a functional significance. This discovery adds to the diversity of ecological niches occupied by enantiornithines and if correct reveals are remarkable amount of locomotive differentiation among Enantiornithes.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Photograph (A) and camera lucida drawing (B) of IVPP V18687.

Abbreviations: as, astragalus; ca, calcaneum; ce, cervical vertebrae; co, coracoid; cv, caudal vertebrae; dr, dorsal rib; fe, femur; fi, fibula; ft, feathers; fu, furcula; hu, humerus; il, ilium; is, ischium; mc I-III, metacarpals I-III; md, manual digits; mt I-V, metatarsals I-V; pd, pedal digits; pu, pubis; py, pygostyle; r, radius; ra, radiale; sc, scapula; se, semilunate carpal; sk, skull; sr, sternal rib; st, sternum; sy, synsacrum; ti, tibia; tv, thoracic vertebrae; u, ulna; ul, ulnare; up, uncinate process.

Fig 2
Fig 2. Photograph (A) and camera lucida drawing (B) of the skull of IVPP V18687, and comparison of teeth morphological details of C, IVPP V18687;D, Pengornis houi; and E, Eopengornis martini, and lacrimals of F, IVPP V18687; and G, Pengornis houi.

Abbreviations: an, angular; de, dentary; fr, frontal; hy, hyoid; ju, jugal; la, lacrimal; m, maxilla; na, nasal; oi, occipital region; pa, parietal; pm, premaxilla; pt, palatine; qj, quadratojugal; qu, quadrate. Scale bar equals 5 mm.

Fig 3
Fig 3. Detail photographs and line drawing of the feet of IVPP V18687 (A. right photograph; B. left photograph; C. left line drawing).

Abbreviations: mtI-V, metatarsals I-V; pd I-1, pedal digit I-1. Scale bar equals 5 mm.

Fig 4
Fig 4. Strict consensus tree illustrating the phylogenetic position of Parapengornis eurycaudatus, and its close relationship with Pengornis houi, Pengornis IVPP V18632 and Eopengornis martini (tree length = 939 steps; CI = 0.366; RI = 0.673).

Absolute Bremer support values are labeled at respective nodes.

Fig 5
Fig 5. Histology of the femur of IVPP V18687: A, entire section; B, close up image of the section.
Fig 6
Fig 6. Comparison of metatarsals of A, IVPP V18687; B, Pengornis houi; C, Pengornis IVPP V18632; D, Eopengornis martini; E, Rapaxavis pani; F, Sulcavis geeorum; G, Longipteryx chaoyangensis; H, Bohaiornis guoi; I, Vescornis hebeiensis; J, Confuciusornis yandica.

Scale bar equals 1 cm.

Fig 7
Fig 7. Comparison of pygostyles of A, IVPP V18687; B, Picus sp.; C, Corvus splendens; D, Pengornis houi; E, Pengornis IVPP V18632; F, Rapaxavis pani; G, Boluochia zhengi; H, Eopengornis martini; I, Confuciusornis yandica; J, Sulcavis geeorum; and K, Archaeorhynchus spathula.

Scale bar equals 1cm.

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This research was supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program, 2012CB821906), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41172020) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to ZZ. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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