The early bird species, Archaeopteryx, was declared to be the first bird to exist when it was discovered in 1860 in Germany by Hermann von Meyer (Zhou, 2010). According to Zhou (2014), the Archaeopteryx lived around the late Jurassic period and had similar features to the Therapods. They shared the same tooth jaw, long tail bone, and feathers. The Archaeopteryx was an icon for the evolution of pre-historic birds to modern birds. Their similarly feathered wing structure compared to today's birds led paleontologist to believed the Archaeopteryx could fly like modern birds (Xu, 2012). The science community accepted Archaeopteryx as the first prehistoric bird, but later discoveries of other bird-like dinosaurs have put the Archaeopteryx's reputation …show more content…
Archaeopteryx status of "first bird" is withdrawn due to these pieces of evidence: the animal's questionable ability to fly, they have the similar bone density to a reptile than they do to bird and scientist are now considering the Archaeopteryx as a transition …show more content…
Nuddes and Dyke's analysis of the Archaeopteryx and Confuciusornis wing fossils concluded that their wings are too thin and weak to take flight ( 2010). According to Nuddes and Dyke, they would need to have solid primary feathers for them to be able to fly (2010). The fossils of the Archaeopteryx and Confusciusornis show rachises that are too narrow to fly. Also, their wings show the likelihood to fail by buckling if they attempt flight ( Nuddes and Dyke, 2010). Since the two species have similar wing feathers as the modern bird, the only way they could fly is if their wings serve as a parachute ( Nuddes and Dyke, 2010). In other words, they would have been gliders ( Nuddes and Dyke, 2010). Even with that theory, these birds are still weak flyers ( Nuddes and Dyke, 2010). Palaeontologist had found their fossils in lake sediments and oceans ( Nuddes and Dyke,
This experiment was designed to illustrate the process of evolution through the use of Origami Birds. It was evident at the conclusion of the experiment that Origami Birds with a smaller in circumference front wing placed 3 centimeters from the end of the straw and larger in circumference back wing placed 3 centimeters from the end of the straw flew further than the Generation 0 birds with the same circumference front and back wings. Our results also indicated that birds with their wings positioned differently than 3 centimeters from either end of the straw did not fly as far as those who were positioned at that 3 centimeter mark. Generation 0's best flyer produced a distance of 2.08 meters with a 3x20 and 3x20 wing ratio. Generation 1's best
The reading states that critics have opposes the idea that Sinosauropteryx was a feathered dinosaur and the author provides three reasons of support. However, the professor explains that critics are unconvincing and refutes each of the authors' reasons.
Paul, Gregory S. (2002). "Looking for the True Bird Ancestor". Dinosaurs of the Air: The Evolution and Loss of Flight in Dinosaurs and Birds. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 171–224. ISBN 0-8018-6763-0.
The idea of cloning dinosaurs and other prehistoric life became popularized by the 1992 film Jurassic Park (based on Michael Crichton’s 1990 novel). Though it may have sparked new interest into the field of paleontology, it did so with deceiving inaccuracies. However, the technical fallacies of the actual dinosaurs are somewhat forgivable as it added to the film’s dramatic appeal. Velociraptor, as depicted in the film, was about the size of a grown man. In reality, velociraptor came to about the kneecap. Furthermore, velociraptor would more likely have been covered in feathers rather than the lizard-like skin portrayed in the movie. One scene shows velociraptor fogging the window of a door. This is an endothermic or warm blooded trait as it implies the dromaeosaurid’s body temperature is above the temperature of his environment. There is also no evidence of dilophosaurus bearing a neck frill, and brachiosaurus did not have the ability to chew his food in a circular motion (iguanodon was the first dinosaur to develop this technique by acquiring back molars to allow for equine or bovine-like chewing). Fortunately, tyrannosaurus remained very close to his biological authenticity, with the only paleobiological errors stemming from a lack in computer animation such as rudimentary ball and joint programs. However, the erroneous nature of the deoxyribonucle...
Of course it was the movie Jurassic Park who seemed to coin the phrase “Dino DNA.” This movie gave the public the thought that, a) it is possible to find dinosaur DNA and b) we can clone dinosaurs from this DNA. This essay is not going to pick apart Jurassic Park’s scientific value, however it will share the current knowledge and information on dinosaur DNA. The discovery of DNA is important because it may uncover different bits of information. The idea of cloning dinosaurs, especially at this point is out of the question. It is really hard to clone living animals today, with full DNA and genome strands, we can’t even think about recreating animals millions of years ago.
For this evolution project, I choose to research Penguins. The classification for this animal is as follows: K Neornithes, P Palaeognathae, C Neognathae, O Pelecaniformes, F Procellariformes, G Graviidae, S Spheniscidae. The first fossil penguin that was found, is today being held in the British Museum of Natural History. It was reportedly found by an anonymous Maori in New Zealand in 1859 and was named Palaeeudyptes Antarcticus despite the fact that the species was located far away from Antarctica. Since that discovery many more fossils were found and were dated back to the Miocene era and three others from the Pliocene era. Several fossils were dated to the Late Pliocene era and others from the Recent era. The earliest avian fossil found in the southern hemisphere is said to have existed in the Eocene age about 38-54 million years ago. There is evidence that at least three of the modern penguins (Aptenodytes, Spheniscus and Pygoscelis) went extinct within the last 4-5 million years. The remainder of the penguins are from 5-40 million years ago, dating back to the time currently recorded, when penguins evolved from other modern birds. Research suggests that the tallest of these penguins were about 6 feet tall. Penguins did originate from an ancestor that flew some 40 million years ago. The common ancestor is assumed to have been somewhat similar to a modern-day diving petrel or auk in appearance and behavior.
Nicholson KE, Harmon LJ, Losos JB. Evolution of Anolis Lizard Dewlap Diversity. PLOS ONE. 2007
The species A. afarensis is one of the better known australopithecines, with regards to the number of samples attributed to the species. From speculations about their close relatives, the gorilla and chimpanzee, A. afarensis’ probable social structure can be presumed. The species was named by Johanson and Taieb in 1973. This discovery of a skeleton lead to a heated debate over the validity of the species. The species eventually was accepted by most researchers as a new species of australopithecine and a likely candidate for a human ancestor.
mother in the late 19th century. The bird is described as speaking a common language and
Thanks to evolution, Penguins have evolved into a group of aquatic, fightless birds, that are highly adapted to life in the ocean. This not only makes them one of the divergent and strange species of birds, but also has allowed them to become such a sucessful species. Penguins are mostly located in the Southern hemisphere ranging anywhere from the Galapogos to the Antartic. Throughout their lives, Penguins spend around half their time in the ocean doing things such as catching food and the other half on land raising their young. Their distinct tuxedo-like apperience called countershading camoflages their bodies, protecting them from predators above and below. Through out the “stepping stones”, the penguins grew to have a dense bone containing
Fossil evidence suggests that the Cathartid (New World) vultures have been around for quite some time with two fossil species dated from the early Oligocene (about 35 million years ago). During the Pliocene and Pleistocene (about 2 million years ago) th...
On our Earth, we are graced with many fantastic life forms. From those gliding through the heavenly skies, to those at the deepest depths of the oceans, there is a plethora of various species. A group of these, though, is like a diamond in the rough. While many people admire its beauty, they have yet to realize that it’s the love for them that is dwindling its population. Who are these magnificent creatures…none other then the penguins.
Norell, Mark, Lowell Dingus, and Eugene S. Gaffney. "Why Did Nonavian Dinosaurs Become Extinct?" Discovering Dinosaurs: Evolution, Extinction, and the Lessons of Prehistory. Berkeley: U of California, 1995. N. pag. Print.
Reptiles are vertebrate, or backboned animals constituting the class Reptilia and are characterized by a combination of features, none of which alone could separate all reptiles from all other animals.The characteristics of reptiles are numerous, therefore can not be explained in great detail in this report. In no special order, the characteristics of reptiles are: cold-bloodedness; the presence of lungs; direct development, without larval forms as in amphibians; a dry skin with scales but not feathers or hair; an amniote egg; internal fertilization; a three or four-chambered heart; two aortic arches (blood vessels) carrying blood from the heart to the body, unlike mammals and birds that only have one; a metanephric kidney; twelve pairs of cranial nerves; and skeletal features such as limbs with usually five clawed fingers or toes, at least two spinal bones associated with the pelvis, a single ball-and-socket connection at the head-neck joint instead of two, as in advanced amphibians and mammals, and an incomplete or complete partition along the roof of the mouth, separating the food and air passageways so that breathing can continue while food is being chewed. These and other traditional defining characteristics of reptiles have been subjected to considerable modification in recent times. The extinct flying reptiles, called pterosaurs or pterodactyls, are now thought to have been warm-blooded and covered with hair. Also, the dinosaurs are also now considered by many authorities to have been warm-blooded. The earliest known bird, archaeopteryx, is now regarded by many to have been a small dinosaur, despite its covering of feathers The extinct ancestors of the mammals, the therapsids, or mammallike reptiles, are also believed to have been warm-blooded and haired.
Neck and beak – *The neck is long and felixble as a result bird is able to rotate its head for reaching food and can see all around. *The jaws are teethless and are produced into beak which are variously modified to pick up food, making nests and preening etc. Skin – *The skin of bird is loose which allows movement of the flight muscles. Limbs –*Forelimbs are modified into wings and are attached closer to center of gravity and farther from head than in other animals. *The wings act as propelling organs for flight. *Hand bones are small, fused, flattened and specialized to manipulate the flight