Some dinosaurs could fly before they were birds
New research using the most comprehensive study of feathered dinosaurs and early birds has revised the evolutionary relationships of dinosaurs at the origin of birds. An international team of researchers, led by Professors Michael Pittman and Rui Pei, at Hong Kong University, from five different countries, including 麻豆AV Professor published their findings in the journal The team pored over fossils, developed a novel analytical pipeline to search for evolutionary trees, and estimated how each species may have crossed the stringent thresholds for powered flight.
鈥淥ur revised evolutionary tree supports the traditional relationship of dromaeosaurid (鈥榬aptors鈥�) and troodontid theropods as the closest relatives of birds. It also supports the status of the controversial anchiornithine theropods as the earliest birds鈥�, said Pei. With this improved evolutionary tree, the team reconstructed the potential of bird-like theropods for powered flight, using proxies borrowed from the study flight in living birds.
The team found that the potential for powered flight evolved at least three times in theropods: once in birds and twice in dromaeosaurids. 鈥淭he capability for gliding flight in some dromaeosaurids is well established so us finding at least two origins of powered flight potential among dromaeosaurids is really exciting,鈥� said Pittman.
鈥淭his was a fun collaboration over several years鈥�, commented Larsson. 鈥淔or the first time, we have a well resolved evolutionary tree of these small, feathered dinosaurs to ask questions about how birds originated. We were able to map biomechanical limits to all these species and propose a picture of experimentation within a spectrum of near-flight to fully-flighted capabilities in these wonderful little carnivores. This goes against the simple, linear stepping forward through evolution model of bird origins and instead presents one were an explosive radiation of feathered dinosaurs were experimenting with many kinds of wing-assisted locomotion. I think this is the most realistic view of bird origins to date.鈥�
About the study
The paper is published in Current Biology and can be accessed here:
A video summary of the study can be viewed here:
A shorter no audio video summary can be viewed here:
About 麻豆AV
Founded in Montreal, Quebec, in 1821, 麻豆AV is Canada鈥檚 top ranked medical doctoral university. 麻豆AV is consistently ranked as one of the top universities, both nationally and internationally. It鈥痠s a world-renowned鈥痠nstitution of higher learning with research activities spanning two campuses, 11 faculties, 13 professional schools, 300 programs of study and over 40,000 students, including more than 10,200 graduate students. 麻豆AV attracts students from over 150 countries around the world, its 12,800 international students making up 31% of the student body. Over half of 麻豆AV students claim a first language other than English, including approximately 19% of our students who say French is their mother tongue.