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| Confuciusornis shifan Wang, Hu, Zhang, Wang, Zhao, Sullivan & Xu, 2022 Artwork by Chuang Zhou |
Abstract
The confuciusornithids are the earliest known beaked birds, and constitute the only species-rich clade of Early Cretaceous pygostylian birds that existed prior to the cladogenesis of Ornithothoraces. Here, we report a new confuciusornithid species from the Lower Cretaceous of western Liaoning, northeastern China. Compared to other confuciusornithids, this new species and the recently reported Yangavis confucii both show evidence of stronger flight capability, although the wings of the two taxa differ from one another in many respects. Our aerodynamic analyses under phylogeny indicate that varying modes of flight adaptation emerged across the diversity of confuciusornithids, and to a lesser degree over the course of their ontogeny, and specifically suggest that both a trend towards improved flight capability and a change in flight strategy occurred in confuciusornithid evolution. The new confuciusornithid differs most saliently from other Mesozoic birds in having an extra cushion-like bone in the first digit of the wing, a highly unusual feature that may have helped to meet the functional demands of flight at a stage when skeletal growth was still incomplete. The new find strikingly exemplifies the morphological, developmental and functional diversity of the first beaked birds.
Systematic paleontology
Avialae Gauthier, 1986
Pygostylia Chiappe, 2002
Confuciusornithidae Hou et al., 1995
Confuciusornis Hou et al., 1995
Confuciusornis shifan sp. nov.
Holotype: PMoL-AB00178, a nearly complete and mostly articulated skeleton, preserved on a single slab
Locality and horizon: Xiaotaizi Village, Lamadong Town, Jianchang County, Liaoning Province, China; second unit of Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation (119 Ma).
Etymology: The specific name is derived from the Mandarin “shifan”, meaning a paragon of all teachers, in honor of Confucius. The name also commemorates the 70th anniversary of Shenyang Normal University (Shenyang Shifan Daxue).
Renfei Wang, Dongyu Hu, Meisheng Zhang, Shiying Wang, Qi Zhao, Corwin Sullivan and Xing Xu. 2022. A New confuciusornithid Bird with A Secondary Epiphyseal Ossification reveals Phylogenetic Changes in confuciusornithid Flight Mode. Communications Biology. 5: 1398. DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04316-6
A new specimen illuminates the story of flight evolution in an iconic group of early birds
Confuciusornithids only lived in the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota are indeed a very unusual group of early birds. We are very lucky to encounter Confuciusornis shifan, a new member of this group.
