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The feather lengths of early birds with respect to avian wing shape evolution

The feather lengths of early birds with respect to avian wing shape evolution
The feather lengths of early birds with respect to avian wing shape evolution
We examine the relationships between primary feather length (fprim) and total arm length (ta) (sum of humerus, ulna and manus lengths) in Mesozoic fossil birds to address one aspect of avian wing shape evolution. Analyses show that there are significant differences in the composition of the wing between the known lineages of basal birds and that mean fprim (relative to ta length) is significantly shorter in Archaeopteryx and enantiornithines than it is in Confuciusornithidae and in living birds. Based on outgroup comparisons with nonavian theropods that preserve forelimb primary feathers, we show that the possession of a relatively shorter fprim (relative to ta length) must be the primitive condition for Aves. There is also a clear phylogenetic trend in relative primary feather length throughout bird evolution: our analyses demonstrate that the fprim/ta ratio increases among successive lineages of Mesozoic birds towards the crown of the tree (‘modern birds’; Neornithes). Variance in this ratio also coincides with the enormous evolutionary radiation at the base of Neornithes. Because the fprim/ta ratio is linked to flight mode and performance in living birds, further comparisons of wing proportions among Mesozoic avians will prove informative and certainly imply that the aerial locomotion of the Early Cretaceous Confuciusornis was very different to other extinct and living birds.
avian, confuciusornis, evolution, primary feather, wing shape
1010-061X
1226-1331
Wang, Xia
05442af1-b96d-4271-8b58-b8515946656a
Nudds, Robert
79059e6d-e64f-4fa7-b9d9-b805a0bcd623
Dyke, Gareth
600ca61e-b40b-4c86-b8ae-13be4e331e94
Wang, Xia
05442af1-b96d-4271-8b58-b8515946656a
Nudds, Robert
79059e6d-e64f-4fa7-b9d9-b805a0bcd623
Dyke, Gareth
600ca61e-b40b-4c86-b8ae-13be4e331e94

Wang, Xia, Nudds, Robert and Dyke, Gareth (2011) The feather lengths of early birds with respect to avian wing shape evolution. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 24 (6), 1226-1331. (doi:10.1111/j.1420-9101.2011.02253.x).

Record type: Article

Abstract

We examine the relationships between primary feather length (fprim) and total arm length (ta) (sum of humerus, ulna and manus lengths) in Mesozoic fossil birds to address one aspect of avian wing shape evolution. Analyses show that there are significant differences in the composition of the wing between the known lineages of basal birds and that mean fprim (relative to ta length) is significantly shorter in Archaeopteryx and enantiornithines than it is in Confuciusornithidae and in living birds. Based on outgroup comparisons with nonavian theropods that preserve forelimb primary feathers, we show that the possession of a relatively shorter fprim (relative to ta length) must be the primitive condition for Aves. There is also a clear phylogenetic trend in relative primary feather length throughout bird evolution: our analyses demonstrate that the fprim/ta ratio increases among successive lineages of Mesozoic birds towards the crown of the tree (‘modern birds’; Neornithes). Variance in this ratio also coincides with the enormous evolutionary radiation at the base of Neornithes. Because the fprim/ta ratio is linked to flight mode and performance in living birds, further comparisons of wing proportions among Mesozoic avians will prove informative and certainly imply that the aerial locomotion of the Early Cretaceous Confuciusornis was very different to other extinct and living birds.

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More information

e-pub ahead of print date: 18 March 2011
Published date: June 2011
Keywords: avian, confuciusornis, evolution, primary feather, wing shape
Organisations: Ocean Biochemistry & Ecosystems

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 200475
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/200475
ISSN: 1010-061X
PURE UUID: a07f392c-263f-4ffc-921b-b865725b1227

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Date deposited: 21 Oct 2011 08:32
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 04:19

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Contributors

Author: Xia Wang
Author: Robert Nudds
Author: Gareth Dyke

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