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Article: The plumage and colouration of an enantiornithine bird from the early cretaceous of china

Palaeontology Cover Image - Volume 60 Part 1
Publication: Palaeontology
Volume: 60
Part: 1
Publication Date: January 2017
Page(s): 55 71
Author(s): Jennifer A. Peteya, Julia A. Clarke, Quanguo Li, Ke‐Qin Gao, and Matthew D. Shawkey
Addition Information

How to Cite

PETEYA, J.A., CLARKE, J.A., LI, Q., GAO, K., SHAWKEY, M.D. 2017. The plumage and colouration of an enantiornithine bird from the early cretaceous of china. Palaeontology, 60, 1, 55-71. DOI: 10.1111/pala.12270

Author Information

  • Jennifer A. Peteya - Department of Biology and Integrated Bioscience Program University of Akron Akron OH USA (Email: jp131@zips.uakron.edu)
  • Julia A. Clarke - Department of Geological Sciences University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
  • Quanguo Li - State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology China University of Geosciences Beijing China
  • Ke‐Qin Gao - School of Earth and Space Sciences Peking University Beijing China
  • Matthew D. Shawkey - Department of Biology and Integrated Bioscience Program University of Akron Akron OH USA

Publication History

  • Manuscript Accepted: 04 October 2016
  • Manuscript Received: 08 July 2016

Funded By

US NSF. Grant Number: 1251922
National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). Grant Number: 41272031

Online Version Hosted By

Wiley Online Library (Free Access)
Get Article: Wiley Online Library [Free Access]

Abstract

Brilliant colour displays and diverse feather morphologies that are often sexual ornaments are common throughout much of extant Avialae. Here we describe a new basal enantiornithine bird specimen recovered from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Liaoning Province in northeastern China. We present new information on the plumage of Bohaiornithidae as well as the first detailed colour reconstruction of an enantiornithine bird. The new specimen retains subadult skeletal characteristics, including periosteal pitting of the long bone epiphyses and unfused elements, while also preserving plumage evidence consistent with sexual maturity at the time of death. Exceptionally‐preserved feathers cover the body, including elongate crown feathers, body contour feathers, asymmetrically‐veined wing primaries, an alula and two elongate rachis‐dominated rectrices that may have been sexual ornaments. The crown, neck, and body contour feathers retain elongate melanosome morphologies associated with weakly iridescent colouration in extant feathers. We provide additional evidence of preserved melanin using Raman spectroscopy; a rapid, non‐destructive chemical technique. The new specimen provides data on skeletal ontogeny in the Bohaiornithidae as well as evidence for intraspecific communication functions of plumage.

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