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Copepteryx
''Copepteryx'' is an extinct genus of flightless bird, flightless bird of the family Plotopteridae, endemic to Japan during the Oligocene living from 28.4 to 23 Annum, mya, meaning it existed for approximately . History and Etymology Remains of large, flightless suliformes in Japan are known since the 1970s. In 1979, Storrs L. Olson and Hasegawa Yoshikazu identified them as those of plotopterids, but their abundance and diversity complicated their identification as distinct species. In 1996, the two first species endemic from Japan were described by Olson and Hasegawa. Both species were identified as belonging to the same genus, ''Copepterix''. The type species, ''C. hexeris'', was described after a partially articulated skeleton, KMNH VP 200,006, collected in 1977 by Hasegawa himself on Ainoshima (Kitakyushu), Ainoshima, in rocks dated from the Late Oligocene of the Ainoshima Formation. As paratypes were considered another associated skeleton from the Yamaga Formation, a fragmen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hokkaidornis
''Hokkaidornis'' is an extinct genus of Sphenisciformes, penguin-like plotopterid from the Late Oligocene of Hokkaido, Japan. History and etymology The first ''Hokkaidornis'' remains were discovered in sediments dated from the Late Oligocene of the Tokoro Formation, near the city of Abashiri, in the Japanese island of Hokkaido, and had been identified as the remains of a yet-unidentified genus and species of plotopterid in 1998. In 2008, Kazuhiko Sakurai, Masaichi Kimura and Takayuki Katoh (palaeontologist), Takayuki Katoh described the new genus and species ''Hokkaidornis abashiriensis'', using as holotype the specimen AMP 44, a semi-complete skeleton lacking the skull. Etymology The genus name, ''Hokkaidornis'', is constructed from Hokkaido, the island in which the holotype was discovered, and the ancient Greek suffix ''-ornis'', meaning "bird". The species name, ''abashiriensis'', refers to the town of Abashiri, near which it was found; the city name itself meaning "to be dis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Plotopteridae
Plotopteridae is an extinct family of flightless seabirds with uncertain placement, generally considered as member of order Suliformes. They exhibited remarkable convergent evolution with the penguins, particularly with the now extinct giant penguins. That they lived in the North Pacific, the other side of the world from the penguins, has led to them being described at times as the Northern Hemisphere's penguins, though they were not closely related. More recent studies have shown, however, that the shoulder-girdle, forelimb and sternum of plotopterids differ significantly from those of penguins, so comparisons in terms of function may not be entirely accurate. Plotopterids are regarded as closely related to Anhingidae (darters) and Phalacrocoracidae (cormorants). On the other hand, there is a theory that this group may have a common ancestor with penguins due to the similarity of forelimb and brain morphology. However, the endocast morphology of stem group Sphenisciformes differ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oligocene
The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch (geology), epoch of the Paleogene Geologic time scale, Period that extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the epoch are well identified but the exact dates of the start and end of the epoch are slightly uncertain. The name Oligocene was coined in 1854 by the German paleontologist Heinrich Ernst Beyrich from his studies of marine beds in Belgium and Germany. The name comes from Ancient Greek (''olígos'') 'few' and (''kainós'') 'new', and refers to the sparsity of Neontology, extant forms of Mollusca, molluscs. The Oligocene is preceded by the Eocene Epoch and is followed by the Miocene Epoch. The Oligocene is the third and final epoch of the Paleogene Period. The Oligocene is often considered an important time of transition, a link between the archaic world of the tropical Eocene and the more modern ecosystems of the Miocene. Major chang ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Femur
The femur (; : femurs or femora ), or thigh bone is the only long bone, bone in the thigh — the region of the lower limb between the hip and the knee. In many quadrupeds, four-legged animals the femur is the upper bone of the hindleg. The Femoral head, top of the femur fits into a socket in the pelvis called the hip joint, and the bottom of the femur connects to the shinbone (tibia) and kneecap (patella) to form the knee. In humans the femur is the largest and thickest bone in the body. Structure The femur is the only bone in the upper Human leg, leg. The two femurs converge Anatomical terms of location, medially toward the knees, where they articulate with the Anatomical terms of location, proximal ends of the tibiae. The angle at which the femora converge is an important factor in determining the femoral-tibial angle. In females, thicker pelvic bones cause the femora to converge more than in males. In the condition genu valgum, ''genu valgum'' (knock knee), the femurs conve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fossil Of Sternum Of Copepteryx From Kitahata Karatsu Japan
A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved in amber, hair, petrified wood and DNA remnants. The totality of fossils is known as the ''fossil record''. Though the fossil record is incomplete, numerous studies have demonstrated that there is enough information available to give a good understanding of the pattern of diversification of life on Earth. In addition, the record can predict and fill gaps such as the discovery of ''Tiktaalik'' in the arctic of Canada. Paleontology includes the study of fossils: their age, method of formation, and evolutionary significance. Specimens are sometimes considered to be fossils if they are over 10,000 years old. The oldest fossils are around 3.48 billion years to 4.1 billion years old. Early edition, published online before print. The ob ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
