Postcranial pneumatization in Archaeopteryx

Britt, Brooks B.; Makovicky, Peter J.; Gauthier, Jacques A.; Bonde, Niels

doi:10.1038/26469

Cited by 59 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…The observation of an anterior thoracic vertebra being pneumatic in the Eichsta« tt specimen (Britt et al 1998) is thus con¢rmed for the London Archaeopteryx also. This is important as the Eichsta« tt specimen, the smallest specimen known, probably represents a separate taxon from A. lithographica, at least at species, and possibly generic, level (Bonde 1996;Howgate 1984Howgate , 1985Mayr 1973;Stephan 1987).…”

Section: Pneumatization In Archaeopteryxmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…This is further corroborated by the fact that advanced theropod dinosaurs, such as dromaeosaurs, the group most frequently considered the sister group of birds (Chiappe 1995;Padian & Chiappe 1998), and tyrannosaurs, have vertebral pneumatic foramina on all presacral vertebrae. Oviraptorosaurs have pneumatization of the synsacral and proximal caudal vertebrae (Britt et al 1998), indicating the possible presence of abdominal air sacs. Thus, osteological signs of abdominal air sacs could well be expected in Archaeopteryx as well.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The posterior foramen is much the largest (ca. 0.9 mm), resulting in a centrum:foramen ratio of 6.8, much larger than a normal nutrient foramen (Britt et al 1998). The small anterior foramen could be a pneumatic pore, or, alternatively, a vascular foramen.…”

Section: Pneumatization In Archaeopteryxmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As the diverticularia vertebralia are responsible for pneumatization of the cervical and anterior thoracal vertebrae in extant birds, this strongly suggests the presence of a cervical air sac in Archaeopteryx. The Eichsta« tt specimen further has a probable pneumatopore in a dorsal rib (Britt et al 1998), but in the otherwise well-preserved Berlin specimen the rib heads are crushed, preventing identi¢cation of pneumatopores.…”

Section: Pneumatization In Archaeopteryxmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Axial and appendicular pneumaticity inArchaeopteryx

Christiansen¹,

Bonde

2000

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

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From the time of its discovery in 1860 to this day Archaeopteryx has been essential to our understanding of avian evolution. Despite the great diversity of plesiomorphic avialan (sensu Gauthier 1986) taxa discovered within the last decade, Archaeopteryx remains the most basal avialan taxon. A very unusual feature of extant birds is their lung structure, in which air diverticulae penetrate the bones. This has previously been reported in Archaeopteryx as well, in the cervical vertebrae of the Berlin specimen and in an anterior thoracal vertebra of the Eichsta« tt specimen. This indicates the presence of a cervical air sac. We show that the London specimen also has pneumatized anterior thoracal vertebrae, and, thus, that this feature was present in the most archaic avialans, as the London and Eichsta« tt specimens are di¡erent species. Furthermore, the pelvis of the London specimen shows clear signs of the presence of an abdominal air sac, indicating that at least two of the ¢ve air sacs present in modern birds were also present in Archaeopteryx. Evidence of pubic pneumaticity was also found in the same position in some extant ratites.

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Section: Pneumatization In Archaeopteryxmentioning

confidence: 85%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Pneumatization In Archaeopteryxmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Pneumatization In Archaeopteryxmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Axial and appendicular pneumaticity inArchaeopteryx

Christiansen¹,

Bonde

2000

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

Self Cite

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show abstract

“…In the ischium, a large opening is present in the medial surface of iliac peduncle, being it one order of magnitude the size of neurovascular openings 42 . This opening is of regular shape and shows distinct margins 42 .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%