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The eggshell of the Eocene bird Lithornis

The eggshell of the Eocene bird Lithornis
The eggshell of the Eocene bird Lithornis
Although the fossil bird Lithornis has been known for more than a century, only in the 1980s were its affinities within the palaeognathous birds (Aves, Palaeognathae) realized and demonstrated by use of osteological characters. Other lines of evidence could, however, be used to test hypotheses of its affinities. To add data to this ongoing investigation, we present the first detailed description of the microscopic morphology of the eggshell of this fossil bird. Our description of eggshells of two species of Lithornis is consistent with the placement of this fossil bird within Palaeognathae. Characters that corroborate this position include the presence of three aprismatic structural layers visible by use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in the eggshell microstructure. The placement of Lithornis phylogenetically close to the extant flighted South American group Tinamidae is supported on the basis of characters present in the structural composition of the eggshell layers of both these taxa
aves, palaeognathae, lithornis, eggshell ultrastructure, eocene, london clay
0567-7920
831-835
Grellet-Tinner, Gerald
9363e4cd-8977-450e-a427-e348c62e218b
Dyke, Gareth J.
600ca61e-b40b-4c86-b8ae-13be4e331e94
Grellet-Tinner, Gerald
9363e4cd-8977-450e-a427-e348c62e218b
Dyke, Gareth J.
600ca61e-b40b-4c86-b8ae-13be4e331e94

Grellet-Tinner, Gerald and Dyke, Gareth J. (2005) The eggshell of the Eocene bird Lithornis. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 50 (4), 831-835.

Record type: Article

Abstract

Although the fossil bird Lithornis has been known for more than a century, only in the 1980s were its affinities within the palaeognathous birds (Aves, Palaeognathae) realized and demonstrated by use of osteological characters. Other lines of evidence could, however, be used to test hypotheses of its affinities. To add data to this ongoing investigation, we present the first detailed description of the microscopic morphology of the eggshell of this fossil bird. Our description of eggshells of two species of Lithornis is consistent with the placement of this fossil bird within Palaeognathae. Characters that corroborate this position include the presence of three aprismatic structural layers visible by use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in the eggshell microstructure. The placement of Lithornis phylogenetically close to the extant flighted South American group Tinamidae is supported on the basis of characters present in the structural composition of the eggshell layers of both these taxa

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More information

Published date: 2005
Keywords: aves, palaeognathae, lithornis, eggshell ultrastructure, eocene, london clay
Organisations: Ocean Biochemistry & Ecosystems

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 205239
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/205239
ISSN: 0567-7920
PURE UUID: 45af5ef6-7746-477a-8b3d-780d08e9d48e

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Date deposited: 07 Dec 2011 15:23
Last modified: 08 Jan 2022 05:39

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Contributors

Author: Gerald Grellet-Tinner
Author: Gareth J. Dyke

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