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Science 16 June 2006:
Vol. 312. no. 5780, pp. 1640 - 1643
DOI: 10.1126/science.1126377
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Reports
A Nearly Modern Amphibious Bird from the Early Cretaceous of Northwestern China
Hai-lu You,1
Matthew C. Lamanna,2*
Jerald D. Harris,3*
Luis M. Chiappe,4
Jingmai O'Connor,4
Shu-an Ji,1
Jun-chang Lü,1
Chong-xi Yuan,1
Da-qing Li,5
Xing Zhang,6
Kenneth J. Lacovara,7
Peter Dodson,8
Qiang Ji1
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.
2 Section of Vertebrate Paleontology, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213–4080, USA.
3 Science Department, Dixie State College, 225 South 700 East, St. George, UT 84770, USA.
4 The Dinosaur Institute, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA.
5 Fossil Research and Development Center, Third Geology and Mineral Resources Exploration Academy of Gansu Province, 1 Langongping Road, Lanzhou, Gansu 730050, People's Republic of China.
6 Provincial Museum of Gansu Province, Nature Department, 3 West Xijin Road, Lanzhou, Gansu 730050, People's Republic of China.
7 Geology and Paleontology Program, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Drexel University, 409 Stratton Hall, 32nd and Chestnut, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
8 Department of Animal Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: lamannam{at}carnegiemnh.org (M.C.L); jharris{at}dixie.edu (J.D.H.)
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