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A diminutive perinate European Enantiornithes reveals an asynchronous ossification pattern in early birds

Author

Listed:
  • Fabien Knoll

    (ARAID—Fundación Conjunto Paleontológico de Teruel-Dinopolis
    University of Manchester)

  • Luis M. Chiappe

    (Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County)

  • Sophie Sanchez

    (Uppsala University
    European Synchrotron Radiation Facility)

  • Russell J. Garwood

    (University of Manchester
    Natural History Museum)

  • Nicholas P. Edwards

    (University of Manchester
    SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory)

  • Roy A. Wogelius

    (University of Manchester)

  • William I. Sellers

    (University of Manchester)

  • Phillip L. Manning

    (University of Manchester
    College of Charleston)

  • Francisco Ortega

    (Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia)

  • Francisco J. Serrano

    (Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
    Universidad de Málaga)

  • Jesús Marugán-Lobón

    (Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
    Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)

  • Elena Cuesta

    (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)

  • Fernando Escaso

    (Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia)

  • Jose Luis Sanz

    (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)

Abstract

Fossils of juvenile Mesozoic birds provide insight into the early evolution of avian development, however such fossils are rare. The analysis of the ossification sequence in these early-branching birds has the potential to address important questions about their comparative developmental biology and to help understand their morphological evolution and ecological differentiation. Here we report on an early juvenile enantiornithine specimen from the Early Cretaceous of Europe, which sheds new light on the osteogenesis in this most species-rich clade of Mesozoic birds. Consisting of a nearly complete skeleton, it is amongst the smallest known Mesozoic avian fossils representing post-hatching stages of development. Comparisons between this new specimen and other known early juvenile enantiornithines support a clade-wide asynchronous pattern of osteogenesis in the sternum and the vertebral column, and strongly indicate that the hatchlings of these phylogenetically basal birds varied greatly in size and tempo of skeletal maturation.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabien Knoll & Luis M. Chiappe & Sophie Sanchez & Russell J. Garwood & Nicholas P. Edwards & Roy A. Wogelius & William I. Sellers & Phillip L. Manning & Francisco Ortega & Francisco J. Serrano & Jesús, 2018. "A diminutive perinate European Enantiornithes reveals an asynchronous ossification pattern in early birds," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-03295-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03295-9
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