Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have discovered the remains of an extinct ancient bird with a skull unique to dinosaurs. Research published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.
Early primitive bird remains discovered during excavations in China cratonavis zhui. Paleontologists conducted a study of fossil remains using high-resolution computed tomography (CT). The bird’s skull was similar to that of Tyrannosaurus Rex. By creating digital models, the team of scientists discovered: Cratonavis it could not move the upper part of the beak independently of the lower part. This distinguishes it from modern birds.
Moreover, Cratonavis He had a surprisingly long scapula and the first metatarsal bone of the foot. Modern birds have a short metatarsal: this feature has evolved over the course of evolution. A long blade can compensate for the general underdevelopment of the aircraft Cratonavis.
in the evolution tree Cratonavis It lies between Archeopteryx, which looks more like a reptile, and the ornithora, which has already developed many of the features of modern birds. The age of the rocks where the remains were found cratonavis zhuiIt is estimated to be 120 million years old.
The study will allow scientists to better understand how dinosaurs developed adaptations for flight and eventually gave rise to the group of birds.