Protopteryx

''Protopteryx'' is an extinct bird and possibly the basalmost enantiornithean, from the Cretaceous period.Zhou, Zhonghe. (2002). "A new and primitive enantiornithine bird from the Early Cretaceous of China." ''Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology'', 22(1): 49-57. The type species is ''P. fengningensis''. It was first discovered in the Sichakou Member of the Yixian Formation or Huajiying Formation of Hebei Province, northern China, dating from 131 Ma ago.O'Connor, J.K., Zhou Z. and Zhang F. (In press). "A reappraisal of ''Boluochia zhengi'' (Aves: Enantiornithes) and a discussion of intraclade diversity in the Jehol avifauna, China." ''Journal of Systematic Palaeontology'', (published online before print 16 December 2010). ''Protopteryx ''has been found in the Daibeigou formation, as well.Zhiheng Li, Zhonghe Zhou, Min Wang, Julia A. Clarke, (2014). "A New Specimen of Large-Bodied Basal Enantiornithine ''Bohaiornis'' from the Early Cretaceous of China and the Inference of Feeding Ecology in Mesozoic Birds." ''Journal of Paleontology'', 88: 99-108. The name ''Protopteryx'' means "primitive feather":A Primitive Enantiornithine Bird and the Origin of Feathers Fucheng Zhang and Zhonghe Zhou Science 8 December 2000: 290 (5498), 1955-1959. OI:10.1126/science.290.5498.1955/ref> "proto-" meaning "the first of" and "-pteryx" meaning "feather" or "wing." The name comes from the fact that ''Protopteryx'' feathers are more primitive than those of modern birds, such as the two elongated tail feathers that lack barbs and rami.Zhou, Zhonghe, and Fucheng Zhang. "Origin of feathers–perspectives from fossil evidence." Science Progress 84, no. 2 (2001): 87-104.

Description

''Protopteryx'' fossils show that they were roughly the same as a today's starling. The adult body length of ''Protopteryx'' was about , excluding the tail feathers. ''Protopteryx'' teeth were conical and unserrated, and some teeth had a resorption pit similar to those seen in ''Archaeopteryx''. The body of ''Protopteryx'' was covered in three types of feathers: down feathers, flight feathers, and long, ribbon-like tail feathers. The body was mostly covered in feathers of about . The barbs of the down feathers were laminar instead of hairlike and were frayed at the tips. The most distinctive feature of ''Protopteryx'' is that the tail consisted of two long feathers which only had barbs at their tips. Closer to the body, the long tail feathers were thin and needle-like. The only modern bird to share a feather type similar to ''Protopteryx'' is the red bird-of-paradise. The tail feathers also lack rami on the proximal end of the tail."A Primitive Enantiornithine Bird and the Origin of Feathers", Fucheng Zhang and Zhonghe Zhou". ''Science '' 8 December 2000: 290 (5498), 1955-1959. OI:10.1126/science.290.5498.1955/ref>

Classification

''Protopteryx'' is one of the most basal known members of the group Enantiornithes. It appeared after ''Archaeopteryx'', one of the most basal birds, and '' Confuciusornis''.Fucheng, Z., Zhonghe, Z. and Dyke, G. (2006), Feathers and ‘feather-like’ integumentary structures in Liaoning birds and dinosaurs. Geol. J., 41: 395–404. doi: 10.1002/gj.1057 ''Protopteryx'' is more basal than the species '' Eocathayornis'' and '' Paraprotopteryx''.

Discovery and geography

''Protopteryx'' was discovered in the Sichakou Member of the Hebei province, west of the Liaoning province.Jin, F.; Zhang, F.C.; Li, Z.H.; Zhang, J.Y.; Li, C.; Zhou, Z.H. (2008). "On the horizon of Protopteryx and the early vertebrate fossil assemblages of the Jehol Biota". Chinese Science Bulletin 53 (18): 2820–2827. doi:10.1007/s11434-008-0209-5. The formations where ''Protopteryx ''was found were the Yixian and Dageibou formations. The Sichakou Basin is part of the Daxinganling-Taihangshan Tectonomagmatic Belt and moves in a north-northeast direction. When ''Protopteryx'' was alive, the Sichakou basin was located at the Hongqiangou-Jiecangou.

Paleobiology

''Protopteryx'' lived in the Jehol Biota in the Cretaceous period, which contains many of the terrestrial and freshwater vertebrate clades.He, H. Y., X. L. Wang, F. Jin, Z. H. Zhou, F. Wang, L. K. Yang, X. Ding, A. Boven, and R. X. Zhu (2006), "The 40Ar/39Ar dating of the early Jehol Biota from Fengning, Hebei Province, northern China", Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst., 7, Q04001, doi:10.1029/2005GC001083. The teeth of the ''Protopteryx'' are similar to ''Archaeopteryx'', suggesting a similar diet.

Feather adaptations

''Protopteryx'' was adapted for flying and had feathers with features similar to modern birds, as shown by its procoracoid, carina of the sternum, external tuberosity of the humerus, and deltoid crest, which suggest ''Protopteryx'' had a modern musculus supercoracoideus and pectoralis. ''Protopteryx'' also shares asymmetric wing flight feathers with flying birds, as well as ''Archaeopteryx'' and '' Confuciusornis''. The tail feathers of ''Protopteryx'' lack of barbs and rami close to the body, suggesting a use outside of flight, such as display, thermoregulation, or sensory usage.

See also

* Dinosaur coloration

References

Sources

* http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Fossil-Pictures/Birds/Protopteryx/Protopteryx-fengningensis.htm
* Mesozoic Birds: Above the Heads of Dinosaurs by Luis M. Chiappe and Lawrence M. Witmer

External links

''Protopteryx''
in the Paleobiology Database
*Protopteryx fossil courtesy of Fossil Museu

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2113781

Bird genera
Early Cretaceous birds of Asia
Enantiornithes
Fossil taxa described in 2000