A bizarre Jurassic maniraptoran from China with elongate ribbon-like feathers

Zhang, Fucheng; Zhou, Zhonghe; Xu, Xing; Wang, Xiaolin; Sullivan, Corwin

doi:10.1038/nature07447

Cited by 826 publications

(156 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Functional interpretations.-Although it seems parsimonious to assume oviraptorosaurs lack a direct avian relationship, it could be that oviraptorosaurs were secondarily flightless, especially given recent findings of arboreal and potentially gliding and/or flying forms among non-avian Maniraptoriformes (Xu et al 2002b(Xu et al , 2010aZhang et al 2002Zhang et al , 2008Xu and Zhang 2005). The reduced caudal series of birds is generally accepted as an adaptation for flight that helped to reduce excess posterior weight (Gatesy 1990a, b) and prevented the action of the power stroke from translating into kinetic tail movements.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oviraptorosaur tail forms and functions

Persons

Currie

Norell

2013

APP

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oviraptorosaur tail forms and functions

Persons

Currie

Norell

2013

APP

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“…The filamentous structures in Psittacosaurus and Beipiaosaurus are rigid with thick bristles, which are possibly hollow in the center. These bristles and the elongated ribbon-like tail feathers on Epidexipteryx (114) may be specialized decorative appendages that have no direct relationship with modern feathers. Epidexipteryx also has a type of nonshafted feather composed of parallel barbs closely united as an unbranched membranous structure.…”

Section: The Origin and Evolution Of Feathersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development, Regeneration, and Evolution of Feathers

Chen¹,

Foley

Tang

et al. 2015

Annu. Rev. Anim. Biosci.

123

117

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The feather is a complex ectodermal organ with hierarchical branching patterns. It provides functions in endothermy, communication, and flight. Studies of feather growth, cycling, and health are of fundamental importance to avian biology and poultry science. In addition, feathers are an excellent model for morphogenesis studies because of their accessibility, and their distinct patterns can be used to assay the roles of specific molecular pathways. Here we review the progress in aspects of development, regeneration, and evolution during the past three decades. We cover the development of feather buds in chicken embryos, regenerative cycling of feather follicle stem cells, formation of barb branching patterns, emergence of intrafeather pigmentation patterns, interplay of hormones and feather growth, and the genetic identification of several feather variants. The discovery of feathered dinosaurs redefines the relationship between feathers and birds. Inspiration from biomaterials and flight research further fuels biomimetic potential of feathers as a multidisciplinary research focal point.

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“…These feathers are replaced in the adult Similicaudipteryx yixianensis (STM22-6) with longer, normal pennaceous feathers [4] in which the rachis and vanes extend throughout the length of the feather. This feather morphology was described as the same morphotype seen preserved in the tail of the basal scansoriopterygid Epidexipteryx hui [6], another non-avian maniraptoran, and some basal avians (e.g., some confuciusornithiforms and enantiornithines), suggesting that these rectrices are retained in birds from a much earlier stage in feather evolution [4]. Alternatively, the PRPFs in juvenile Similicaudipteryx STM4-1 have been interpreted as pin-feathers, with the protective keratinous sheath still attached [27,44].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The recent discovery of two specimens comprising two different developmental stages of a single taxon reveals that, just like modern birds, some non-avian dinosaurs apparently experienced considerable ontogenetic variation in their plumage [4]: adults were marked by different feather types than juveniles of the same species. However, limited preservation and overlap of fossil feathers prevents unequivocal interpretation of integumentary structures in most specimens; as a result, many recently described extinct feather morphotypes are very poorly understood and interpretations regarding their morphology and function vary [3,4,6,27]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Homology and Potential Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms for the Development of Unique Feather Morphologies in Early Birds

et al. 2012

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At least two lineages of Mesozoic birds are known to have possessed a distinct feather morphotype for which there is no neornithine (modern) equivalent. The early stepwise evolution of apparently modern feathers occurred within Maniraptora, basal to the avian transition, with asymmetrical pennaceous feathers suited for flight present in the most basal recognized avian, Archaeopteryx lithographica. The number of extinct primitive feather morphotypes recognized among non-avian dinosaurs continues to increase with new discoveries; some of these resemble feathers present in basal birds. As a result, feathers between phylogenetically widely separated taxa have been described as homologous. Here we examine the extinct feather morphotypes recognized within Aves and compare these structures with those found in non-avian dinosaurs. We conclude that the “rachis dominated” tail feathers of Confuciusornis sanctus and some enantiornithines are not equivalent to the “proximally ribbon-like” pennaceous feathers of the juvenile oviraptorosaur Similicaudipteryx yixianensis. Close morphological analysis of these unusual rectrices in basal birds supports the interpretation that they are modified pennaceous feathers. Because this feather morphotype is not seen in living birds, we build on current understanding of modern feather molecular morphogenesis to suggest a hypothetical molecular developmental model for the formation of the rachis dominated feathers of extinct basal birds.

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A bizarre Jurassic maniraptoran from China with elongate ribbon-like feathers

Cited by 826 publications

References 22 publications

Oviraptorosaur tail forms and functions

Oviraptorosaur tail forms and functions

Development, Regeneration, and Evolution of Feathers

Homology and Potential Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms for the Development of Unique Feather Morphologies in Early Birds

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