The ancestors of modern waterbirds are not so strange. While diving for fish and other foods in Antarctica’s water, they looked like today’s birds, but were they truly modern?
New paper published today nature It tells us all of this ancestor of modern ducks. evaluation Newly discovered fossil To VEGAVIS IAAI In the Cretaceous period, about 69 million years ago, this paper confirms that it is truly a new classification of species of species, unlike today’s ducks and goose.
“There are few birds that have little possibility of starting a lot of debate among paleontologists. VegabisChristopher Tores, the author of the University of the Pacific, and the current front line, Christopher Tores. press release. “This new fossil will solve that many arguments. The best of them: where Vegabis Did you settle in the new tree of life? ”
Is it modern?
About 20 years ago, a paleontology team was confirmed VEGAVIS IAAI I first quoted Antarctic fossilAbout 68 million to 66 million years. At the time of identification, paleontologists classified species in modern times, but their classifications were controversial and it was difficult to confirm since then.
Some of the problems are that all fossils that paleontologists have to work with were partial fossils characterized by skeletal skeletons without skulls. However, the newly discovered fossils are characterized by the lack of fossils previously found.
Collected in Antarctica in 2011 Antarctic Peninsula Paleontology ProjectThe 6.9 million -year -old sample provides new insights in the classification of species with almost complete skulls. Fossils, characterized by modern beaks and modern spaces for the brain with characteristics that match today’s waterbirds, suggest initial classification. Vegabis Cretaceous fossils are the right ones representing one of the earlyest modern birds found so far.
Read more: The new brain of prehistoric times can be Rosetta stone for bird evolution.
A very stupid bird
According to the author of the new newspaper, about 69 million years ago other birds were strange and not similar to today’s birds.
Patrick O’Connor said, “The real fossil records for late Cretaceous birds such as Madagascar and Argentina show a bizarre and current bone breeding ground with teeth and long bone tails. According to the launch, the author and professor of Ohio University. “It seems that something very different is happening in the southern hemisphere, especially Antarctica.”
Unlike today’s Antarctica, the Cretaceous Antarctica was warm and humid with mild weather and lush vegetation. It is hard to say exactly how this environment forms early birds in modern birds, but it is possible that we have established the characteristics of modern waterbirds today.
O’Connor said, “This fossil emphasizes that Antarctica will tell you a lot about the early stage of modern bird evolution.
Beyond the insight into the evolution of the earlyest modern birds, the new paper also draws a picture of the method. Vegabis I lived. that BIRD was able to pursue themselves through Antarctic water to pursue fish and other foods, and snaped them thanks to lactation strategies similar to modern loons than modern ducks.
Read more: Why is Archeopteryx a bizarre leg between dinosaurs and birds?
Driver
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Sam Walters is a reporter who deals with the evolution of archeology, paleontology, ecology and discovery along with other topics. In 2022, before joining the Discovery Team, SAM studied journalism at North Western University in Evan Stern, Illinois.
