On the Preservation of the Beak in <i>Confuciusornis</i> (Aves: Pygostylia)
The Confuciusornithiformes represent the most stem-ward avian occurrence of an edentulous rostrum. Although a keratinous beak is widely considered to have covered the rostrum in confuciusornithiforms, this feature is almost never preserved, having been previously reported only in the holotype of <...
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MDPI AG
2019-11-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/11/11/212 |
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| author | Amanda Falk Jingmai O’Connor Min Wang Zhonghe Zhou |
| author_facet | Amanda Falk Jingmai O’Connor Min Wang Zhonghe Zhou |
| author_sort | Amanda Falk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Confuciusornithiformes represent the most stem-ward avian occurrence of an edentulous rostrum. Although a keratinous beak is widely considered to have covered the rostrum in confuciusornithiforms, this feature is almost never preserved, having been previously reported only in the holotype of <i>Confuciusornis</i><i> dui </i>and the holotype of <i>Eoconfuciusornis</i><i> </i><i>zhengi</i>. This strongly contrasts with the widespread preservation of the keratinous sheaths that cover the manual and pedal ungual phalanges. Here, we report on a third occurrence of a preserved rhamphotheca in a specimen of <i>Confuciusornis</i><i> </i><i>sanctus</i>. We illuminated the preserved traces using laser-stimulated fluorescence. Similarly to <i>E. </i><i>zhengi</i>, the rhamphotheca has been preserved only as a two-dimensional trace, whereas ungual sheaths are preserved in three dimensions. In contrast to the traces preserved in <i>C. dui</i>, the rhamphotheca in the discussed specimen of <i>C. </i><i>sanctus</i> is straight rather than upturned. This hints towards hidden morphological diversity within the thousands of <i>Confuciusornis</i> specimens, in which species may be further differentiated by soft tissue features or behaviors, much like many living birds, that cannot be detected in fossils, even with exceptional preservation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T22:21:45Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T22:21:45Z |
| publishDate | 2019-11-01 |
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| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-4968536cc66a4387819c2ffc30086bfe2022-12-22T04:00:05ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182019-11-01111121210.3390/d11110212d11110212On the Preservation of the Beak in <i>Confuciusornis</i> (Aves: Pygostylia)Amanda Falk0Jingmai O’Connor1Min Wang2Zhonghe Zhou3Biology Department, Centre College, 600 W. Walnut St. Danville, KY 40422, USAKey Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Beijing 100044, ChinaKey Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Beijing 100044, ChinaKey Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Beijing 100044, ChinaThe Confuciusornithiformes represent the most stem-ward avian occurrence of an edentulous rostrum. Although a keratinous beak is widely considered to have covered the rostrum in confuciusornithiforms, this feature is almost never preserved, having been previously reported only in the holotype of <i>Confuciusornis</i><i> dui </i>and the holotype of <i>Eoconfuciusornis</i><i> </i><i>zhengi</i>. This strongly contrasts with the widespread preservation of the keratinous sheaths that cover the manual and pedal ungual phalanges. Here, we report on a third occurrence of a preserved rhamphotheca in a specimen of <i>Confuciusornis</i><i> </i><i>sanctus</i>. We illuminated the preserved traces using laser-stimulated fluorescence. Similarly to <i>E. </i><i>zhengi</i>, the rhamphotheca has been preserved only as a two-dimensional trace, whereas ungual sheaths are preserved in three dimensions. In contrast to the traces preserved in <i>C. dui</i>, the rhamphotheca in the discussed specimen of <i>C. </i><i>sanctus</i> is straight rather than upturned. This hints towards hidden morphological diversity within the thousands of <i>Confuciusornis</i> specimens, in which species may be further differentiated by soft tissue features or behaviors, much like many living birds, that cannot be detected in fossils, even with exceptional preservation.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/11/11/212beakrhamphothecaconfuciusornithidaeconfuciusornithiformespreservationhidden diversityjehol biota |
| spellingShingle | Amanda Falk Jingmai O’Connor Min Wang Zhonghe Zhou On the Preservation of the Beak in <i>Confuciusornis</i> (Aves: Pygostylia) Diversity beak rhamphotheca confuciusornithidae confuciusornithiformes preservation hidden diversity jehol biota |
| title | On the Preservation of the Beak in <i>Confuciusornis</i> (Aves: Pygostylia) |
| title_full | On the Preservation of the Beak in <i>Confuciusornis</i> (Aves: Pygostylia) |
| title_fullStr | On the Preservation of the Beak in <i>Confuciusornis</i> (Aves: Pygostylia) |
| title_full_unstemmed | On the Preservation of the Beak in <i>Confuciusornis</i> (Aves: Pygostylia) |
| title_short | On the Preservation of the Beak in <i>Confuciusornis</i> (Aves: Pygostylia) |
| title_sort | on the preservation of the beak in i confuciusornis i aves pygostylia |
| topic | beak rhamphotheca confuciusornithidae confuciusornithiformes preservation hidden diversity jehol biota |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/11/11/212 |
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