Gender identification of the Mesozoic bird Confuciusornis sanctus

Chinsamy, Anusuya; Chiappe, Luis M.; Marugán‐Lobón, Jesús; Chunling, Gao; Zhang, Fengjiao

doi:10.1038/ncomms2377

Cited by 86 publications

(99 citation statements)

References 25 publications

(30 reference statements)

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“…4g-i), and in the histologically adult 2010.74.18 ( Fig. 4j-l) correspond with the features characterizing medullary bone of dinosaurs, including birds 21,[27][28][29] . It is centripetally deposited on the endosteal surfaces of the cavities which are in most cases clearly separated from primary bone by a distinct resorption line and by endosteal lamellae of variable thickness (Figs 3c,e, 4h,j,k).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the other hand, if the term medullary bone is also restricted by its reproductive function along with its hormonal regulatory system as described in birds, then similar tissues cannot be unambiguously identified as medullary bone in any extinct taxon, because we have no direct evidence of these characteristics. Although the dinosaurian nature of birds still strongly supports the reproductive role of medullary bone in non-avian dinosaurs, the general concept that medullary bone-like structures develop only in female animals being in their reproductive (egg laying) cycle, as in birds 21,[27][28][29] should be considered more circumspectly. In any case, our findings strongly encourage further research on the potential alternative functions as well as evolutionary origin, distribution, and significance of medullary bone-like tissues.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Apart from the controversial results on mice forming medullary bone-like tissues in response to unnaturally high oestrogen doses 23,24 , medullary bone has not been reported in any extant non-avian amniotes 25,26 . Recently, with the discovery of medullary bone in different non-avian dinosaurs, the occurrence of medullary bone has proven to be phylogenetically more widespread and is considered as further evidence for the close relationship between birds and theropod dinosaurs 21,[27][28][29] . Apart from dinosaurs, there has been only one report on the presence of an extensive, endosteally derived bone structure in a single femur of the Early Cretaceous pterosaur Pterodaustro that was tentatively interpreted as medullary bone 30 .…”

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Medullary bone-like tissue in the mandibular symphyses of a pterosaur suggests non-reproductive significance

Prondvai

Stein

2014

Sci Rep

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Medullary bone-like tissue in the mandibular symphyses of a pterosaur suggests non-reproductive significance

Prondvai

Stein

2014

Sci Rep

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“…These feathers are the earliest record of an ornamental tail morphology within Aves and has been suggested to indicate sexual dimorphism in these two clades (6,7). A recently described specimen of Jeholornis (SDM, Shandong Museum, 20090109) preserves the complete distal caudal integument, a palm-like frond of feathers near the tip of the tail (8).…”

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confidence: 99%

Unique caudal plumage of Jeholornis and complex tail evolution in early birds

O’Connor

Wang

Sullivan

et al. 2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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The Early Cretaceous bird Jeholornis was previously only known to have a distally restricted ornamental frond of tail feathers. We describe a previously unrecognized fan-shaped tract of feathers situated dorsal to the proximal caudal vertebrae. The position and morphology of these feathers is reminiscent of the specialized upper tail coverts observed in males of some sexually dimorphic neornithines. As in the neornithine tail, the unique "two-tail" plumage in Jeholornis probably evolved as the result of complex interactions between natural and sexual selective pressures and served both aerodynamic and ornamental functions. We suggest that the proximal fan would have helped to streamline the body and reduce drag whereas the distal frond was primarily ornamental. Jeholornis reveals that tail evolution was complex and not a simple progression from frond to fan.

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“…Details and lengthy analyses have often been made freely available as online supplements (e.g., Xu et al 2009b, .100 pages of supplementary material). Moreover, the pace of discovery and description of new fossil specimens has steadily increased across a variety of journals and the appearance of in-depth papers on early birds and closely related non-avian theropods (many with feathers) is ever more frequent , 2008, 2014, Currie and Chen 2001, Clarke and Norell 2002, Hwang et al 2002, Norell and Xu 2005, Clarke et al 2006, Lamanna et al 2006, Li et al 2012, 2014a, O'Connor et al 2012, Chinsamy et al 2013. Undoubtedly, studies on the diversity of non-avian dinosaurs and early birds from the Daohugou and Jehol Biotas have resulted in a wealth of novel information about the anatomy of these animals and its relevance for understanding the origin of birds and of their flight.…”

Section: Theoretical and Methodological Misunderstandingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rhetoric vs. reality: A commentary on “Bird Origins Anew” by A. Feduccia

Smith

Chiappe

Clarke

et al. 2015

The Auk

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Birds are maniraptoran theropod dinosaurs. The evidence supporting the systematic position of Avialae as a derived clade within Dinosauria is voluminous and derived from multiple independent lines of evidence. In contrast, a paucity of selectively chosen data weakly support, at best, alternative proposals regarding the origin of birds and feathers. Opponents of the theory that birds are dinosaurs have frequently based their criticisms on unorthodox interpretations of paleontological data and misrepresentation of phylogenetic systematic methods. Moreover, arguments against the nested position of Avialae in Dinosauria have often conflated the logically distinct questions of avian origins, the evolution of flight, and the phylogenetic distribution of feathers. Motivated by a Perspectives article with numerous factual inaccuracies that recently appeared in The Auk, we provide a review of the full complement of facts pertaining to the avian origins debate and address the misplaced criticisms raised in that opinion paper. Keywords: evolution of flight, evolution of feathers, evolution of birds, Avialae, maniraptoran theropod dinosaurs, phylogenetic systematics Retórica vs. Realidad: Un comentario sobre ''Bird Origins Anew'' por A. Feduccia, Auk 130:1-12 RESUMEN Las aves son dinosaurios terópodos maniraptores. La evidencia que sustenta la posición sistemática de Avialae como un clado derivado dentro de Dinosauria es voluminosa y se deriva de múltiples líneas independientes de evidencia. En contraste, sólo escasos datos elegidos selectivamente sustentan débilmente propuestas alternativas sobre el origen de las aves y las plumas. Los opositores de la teoría de que las aves son dinosaurios frecuentemente han basado sus críticas en interpretaciones no ortodoxas de los datos paleontológicos y en la tergiversación de los métodos de la sistemática filogenética. Además, los argumentos en contra de la posición anidada de Avialae dentro de Dinosauria han confundido la distinción lógica de las preguntas sobre los orígenes de las aves, la evolución del vuelo y la distribución filogenética de las plumas. Motivados por un artículo de Perspectivas que apareció recientemente en The Auk con numerosas imprecisiones fácticas, presentamos una revisión del conjunto completo de hechos relacionados con el debate sobre el origen de la aves y abordamos las críticas equivocadas que se presentan en dicho artículo de opinión. Palabras clave: Avialae, dinosaurios terópodos maniraptores, evolución de las aves, evolución de las plumas, evolución del vuelo, sistemática filogenética Q 2015 American Ornithologists' Union.

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Gender identification of the Mesozoic bird Confuciusornis sanctus

Cited by 86 publications

References 25 publications

Medullary bone-like tissue in the mandibular symphyses of a pterosaur suggests non-reproductive significance

Medullary bone-like tissue in the mandibular symphyses of a pterosaur suggests non-reproductive significance

Unique caudal plumage of Jeholornis and complex tail evolution in early birds

Rhetoric vs. reality: A commentary on “Bird Origins Anew” by A. Feduccia

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