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Vertebrata Palasiatica ›› 2017, Vol. 55 ›› Issue (1): 41-58.

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The morphology of Chiappeavis magnapremaxillo(Pengornithidae: Enantiornithes) and a comparison of aerodynamic function in Early Cretaceous avian tail fans

Jingmai K. O’CONNOR  , ZHENG Xiao-Ting, HU Han, WANG Xiao-Li, ZHOU Zhong-He    

  • Online:2017-03-15 Published:2017-03-15

巨前颌契氏鸟 (鹏鸟科:反鸟类)的形态学描述及早白垩世鸟类尾羽的空气动力学功能比较

邹晶梅,郑晓廷,胡 晗,王孝理,周忠和   

Abstract: We provide a complete description of the skeletal anatomy of the holotype of Chiappeavis magnapremaxillo, the first enantiornithine to preserve a rectricial fan, suggesting that possibly rectricial bulbs were present in basal members of this clade. Notably, Chiappeavis preserves a primitive palatal morphology in which the vomers reach the premaxillae similar toArchaeopteryx but unlike the condition in the Late Cretaceous enantiornithineGobipteryx. If rectricial bulbs were present, pengornithid pygostyle morphology suggests they were minimally developed. We estimate the lift generated by the tail fan preserved in this specimen and compare it to the tail fans preserved in other Early Cretaceous birds. Aerodynamic models indicate the tail of Chiappeavis produced less lift than that of sympatric ornithuromorphs. This information provides a possible explanation for the absence of widespread aerodynamic tail morphologies in the Enantiornithes. 

摘要: 契氏鸟(Chiappeavis)是首次发现保存有扇状尾羽的反鸟类,显示出尾羽球茎这一结构在较原始的反鸟类中已经发育。详细描述了巨前颌契氏鸟(C. magnapremaxillo)正型标本的骨骼形态学特征。契氏鸟的腭区形态与始祖鸟(Archaeopteryx)相似,而区别于晚白垩世的反鸟类戈壁鸟(Gobipteryx)。即使具有尾羽球茎,鹏鸟类的尾综骨形态也表明该结构发育较差。估算了在契氏鸟中由扇状尾羽所产生的浮力,并与其他早白垩世鸟类进行对比。结果显示,契氏鸟的扇状尾羽所产生的空气浮力小于同时代生活的今鸟型类,这有可能解释了反鸟类中具有空气动力学功能的尾羽形态普遍缺乏的现象。