Exceptional preservation and foot structure reveal ecological transitions and lifestyles of early theropod flyers.

Autor: Pittman M; School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China. mpittman@cuhk.edu.hk., Bell PR; School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia., Miller CV; Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China., Enriquez NJ; School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia., Wang X; Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Linyi University, Linyi City, Shandong, 276005, China. wangxiaoli@lyu.edu.cn.; Shandong Tianyu Museum of Nature, Pingyi, Shandong, 273300, China. wangxiaoli@lyu.edu.cn., Zheng X; Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Linyi University, Linyi City, Shandong, 276005, China.; Shandong Tianyu Museum of Nature, Pingyi, Shandong, 273300, China., Tsang LR; School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia.; Ornithology Collection, Australian Museum, William Street, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia., Tse YT; School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China., Landes M; Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada., Kaye TG; Foundation for Scientific Advancement, Sierra Vista, AZ, 85650, USA.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Nature communications [Nat Commun] 2022 Dec 20; Vol. 13 (1), pp. 7684. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Dec 20.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35039-1
Abstrakt: Morphology of keratinised toe pads and foot scales, hinging of foot joints and claw shape and size all inform the grasping ability, cursoriality and feeding mode of living birds. Presented here is morphological evidence from the fossil feet of early theropod flyers. Foot soft tissues and joint articulations are qualitatively assessed using laser-stimulated fluorescence. Pedal claw shape and size are quantitatively analysed using traditional morphometrics. We interpret these foot data among existing evidence to better understand the evolutionary ecology of early theropod flyers. Jurassic flyers like Anchiornis and Archaeopteryx show adaptations suggestive of relatively ground-dwelling lifestyles. Early Cretaceous flyers then diversify into more aerial lifestyles, including generalists like Confuciusornis and specialists like the climbing Fortunguavis. Some early birds, like the Late Jurassic Berlin Archaeopteryx and Early Cretaceous Sapeornis, show complex ecologies seemingly unique among sampled modern birds. As a non-bird flyer, finding affinities of Microraptor to a more specialised raptorial lifestyle is unexpected. Its hawk-like characteristics are rare among known theropod flyers of the time suggesting that some non-bird flyers perform specialised roles filled by birds today. We demonstrate diverse ecological profiles among early theropod flyers, changing as flight developed, and some non-bird flyers have more complex ecological roles.
(© 2022. The Author(s).)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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