A nearly modern amphibious bird from the early Cretaceous of Northwestern China

作者：You Hai lu; Lamanna Matthew C^*; Harris Jerald D; Chiappe Luis M; O'Connor Jingmai; Ji Shu an; Lu Jun chang; Yuan Chong xi; Li Da qing; Zhang Xing; Lacovara Kenneth J; Dodson Peter; Ji Qiang

来源：Science, 2006, 312(5780): 1640-1643.

DOI：10.1126/science.1126377

Three-dimensional specimens of the volant fossil bird Gansus yumenensis from the Early Cretaceous Xiagou Formation of northwestern China demonstrate that this taxon possesses advanced anatomical features previously known only in Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic ornithuran birds. Phylogenetic analysis recovers Gansus within the Ornithurae, making it the oldest known member of the clade. The Xiagou Formation preserves the oldest known ornithuromorph-dominated avian assemblage. The anatomy of Gansus, like that of other non-neornithean (nonmodern) ornithuran birds, indicates specialization for an amphibious life-style, supporting the hypothesis that modern birds originated in aquatic or littoral niches.

• 出版日期2006-6-16
• 单位中国地质科学院