Jurassic Fossil Discovery in China Reveals Clues to Bird Evolution
A research team led by Professor Wang Min from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has discovered two Jurassic-era bird fossils in Fujian Province, China. These fossils, dating back approximately 149 million years, provide new insights into the early evolutionary history of birds. Published in Nature, this study challenges previous assumptions about bird evolution and suggests that birds were more diversified by the end of the Jurassic period than previously thought. The discovery of Baminornis zhenghensis, the oldest short-tailed bird, pushes back the origin of this feature by nearly 20 million years, refining our understanding of avian evolution.
Watch: Daily Current Affairs
Summary/Static | Details |
Why in the news? | Jurassic Fossil Discovery in China Reveals Clues to Bird Evolution |
Discovery Location | Fujian Province, China |
Age of Fossils | ~149 million years (Jurassic) |
Lead Researcher | Professor Wang Min (IVPP, Chinese Academy of Sciences) |
Key Fossil Name | Baminornis zhenghensis |
Significance | Oldest known short-tailed bird, challenges Archaeopteryx’s classification |
Evolutionary Traits | Combination of dinosaur-like and modern bird-like features |
Short-Tailed Bird Origin | Pushed back by ~20 million years |
Second Fossil | Incomplete furcula, possibly from Ornithuromorpha |
Publication | Nature |
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