“The study shows that the sample aged 150 million years has a special feathers for flight.”, – WRITE: www.unian.ua
The study shows that the sample aged 150 million years has a special feathers for flight.
Scientists have made a discovery in the field of birds / photo ua.depositphotos.comScientists from the Chicago Field Museum have found that the fossiliness of the archeopterix in the size of a dove in their collection shows a number of previously unknown features when it comes to the earliest known birds, in particular, feathers, wings, feet and head of the bird.
Treatment is one of the most well -preserved and most complete of the 14 known fossil samples identified since 1861, FOX News writes.
The first fossilism of the archeopteryx, which showed features similar to reptiles and birds, confirmed the ideas of Charles Darwin about evolution and showed that birds came from dinosaurs.
A new study was able to distinguish soft tissues in Chicago fossilizing with ultraviolet light, while CT scanning made it possible for scientists to see the details that were still engraved in the breed. The study showed that 164 years after the first fossil archeopteryx is discovered, there is even more information about a creature that flew in the Jurassic period 150 million years ago.
Anatomical features showed that although archeopteryx could fly, he probably spent more time on earth and may have been climbing trees.
Scientists have noted that fossilty showed the presence of special feathers, called tertiary, on both wings. Terrtial feathers are attached to the humerus at the top of the wing and are also the most internal feather feathers, scientists explained.
However, dinosaurs with a small plumage had no tertiary feathers. Researchers have stated that the discovery of internal wings found in many modern birds suggests that tertiary feathers have evolved specifically for the ability to fly.
“In order to create a lift, the aerodynamic surface must be continuous with the body. Therefore, in order for the flight to evolve with the use of crafted wings, dinosaurs had to fill this gap, as we see on the example of the archeoptericks,” said the Paleontologist of the Jinghai Field Museum.
“Although we are studying the archeopteryx for more than 160 years, many basic information remains controversial. Is it a bird? Could it fly? The presence of tertiary supports confirms the interpretation that the answer to both of these questions is” yes “,” O’Konnor explained.
This species also has soft fabrics on the wings, which indicates that the first and third fingers were mobile and could be used for climbing. Soft fabrics on the pads of the toes forced scientists to assume that the archeopteryx spent most of their lives on the ground and had limited opportunities for flight.
Another feature revealed by scientists was the palate of the mouth, which confirms that the skull of the archeopteryx was stationary, unlike many modern birds. But there is evidence of the first stages of evolution of a sign that allows the beak to move regardless of the cranial box, as is observed in modern birds.
Chicago fossiliness has the only archeopteryx, which includes two tiny vertebrae at the tip of the tail, showing that there were only 24 vertebrae, one more than it was thought.
“This example may have been the best archeopteryx ever found, and we learn many new things from it,” O’Connor said.
Other news of scienceEarlier, scientists have discovered a new species of giant butterflies, which remained a mystery for over 30 years. Tacola Kamitanii belongs to the subfamily of Limenitidin butterflies, which include some of the living species.
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