The discovery of a new Jurassic bird fossil, Baminornis zhenghensis, in southeastern China has significant implications for the history of avian evolution. This quail-sized bird lived around 150 million years ago during the Jurassic period, making it one of the oldest birds known to mankind alongside Archaeopteryx. Archaeopteryx, discovered in Germany in 1862, has been the only confirmed bird fossil from the Jurassic period until now.
The discovery of Baminornis helps fill a gap in the fossil record that previously lacked evidence of other flying birds during the Jurassic period. Unlike Archaeopteryx, Baminornis had a short tail with a pygostyle, a feature that helps birds fly better by shifting their body’s center of mass towards their wings. This suggests that Baminornis was more advanced than Archaeopteryx and could fly more efficiently.
The differences between Baminornis and Archaeopteryx suggest that avian evolution may have occurred earlier than previously thought, with estimates now around 172-164 million years ago. The discovery of Baminornis in China’s Zhenghe county enhances our understanding of early bird diversification and fills gaps in the evolutionary history of terrestrial ecosystems during the Jurassic period.
While the Baminornis fossil preserved much of the skeleton, the feathers and skull were not preserved, leaving questions about its wings and diet unanswered. Nonetheless, the discovery of Baminornis highlights the diversity of birds that existed during the Jurassic period and their varying flying abilities.
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