Living Dinosaurs: The Evolutionary History of Modern Birds .— Gareth Dyke and Gary Kaiser , Editors. 2011 . Wiley-Blackwell , Chichester, United Kingdom . xv + 422 pp., 8 color plates, 115 text figures, 5 tables, 5 appendices. ISBN 9780470656662 . eBook 9781119990451. Cloth, $129.95 (original) (raw)
Living dinosaurs: the evolutionary history of modern birds
2011
BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.
Glorified Dinosaurs. The Origin and Early Evolution of Birds by Luis M. Chiappe
Historical Biology, 2010
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An integrative approach to understanding bird origins
Science (New York, N.Y.), 2014
Recent discoveries of spectacular dinosaur fossils overwhelmingly support the hypothesis that birds are descended from maniraptoran theropod dinosaurs, and furthermore, demonstrate that distinctive bird characteristics such as feathers, flight, endothermic physiology, unique strategies for reproduction and growth, and a novel pulmonary system originated among Mesozoic terrestrial dinosaurs. The transition from ground-living to flight-capable theropod dinosaurs now probably represents one of the best-documented major evolutionary transitions in life history. Recent studies in developmental biology and other disciplines provide additional insights into how bird characteristics originated and evolved. The iconic features of extant birds for the most part evolved in a gradual and stepwise fashion throughout archosaur evolution. However, new data also highlight occasional bursts of morphological novelty at certain stages particularly close to the origin of birds and an unavoidable comple...
Dinosaurs of the Air: The Evolution and Loss of Flight in Dinosaurs and Birds Gregory S. Paul
The Auk, 2003
and London. ix + 460 pp., ISBN 0-8018-6763-0. Hardcover, $49.95.-Among the spate of recent books on the supposed origin of birds from theropod dinosaurs is that of artist and freelance "dinosaurologist" Gregory Paul, whose past work includes the controversial Predatory Dinosaurs of the World (1988), which featured a good dose of "feathered, hot-blooded dinosaurs" presaging their prevalence in the popular press over the past few years. This latest and equally controversial treatise argues that certain of the birdlike theropods are actually secondarily fl ightless birds, possibly closer to modern birds than is Archaeopteryx. Paul's attempted massive documentation includes 460 pages, with six appendices and dozens of stylized "Paulian" illustrations. Paul is a creative artist, and his illustrations of dinosaurs represent his personalized interpretation of their anatomies and lifestyles. For example, in Predatory Dinosaurs of the World he illustrated the giant sauropod Mamenchisaurus reared up on its hindlimbs, a feat almost inconceivable for that creature given its size and lack of complex epiphyses on its long bones. Although Predatory Dinosaurs, his fi rst book, was published in 1988, before the discovery of so-called feathered dinosaurs, his illustrations depicted theropods from the late Triassic coelurosaur Coelophysis to the late Cretaceous Velociraptor adorned with feathers. Even in the late Triassic, the 235-my-old protodinosaur Lagosuchus sports feathers on the back and head. Speaking of the small-sized Lagosuchus, Paul notes, "This size squeeze probably marked the evolution of a fully avian-mammalian physiology" (p. 240). The implication, of course, is that all dinosaurs were fully endothermic and feathered. And, that same general theme carries over into his current magnum opus. Not surprisingly, Paul fi nds no evidence for avian cranial kinesis or birdlike feathers in the skull of Archaeopteryx, contrary to detailed work of many
Avian evolution: the fossil record of birds and its Paleobiological significance
Historical Biology, 2018
Glossary apomorphy (derived character) an evolutionary novelty of a species and its descendants, which characterizes a clade. Bergmann's Rule a biogeographic principle that postulates a larger body size of endothermic animals in colder climates. calibrated molecular phylogeny an evolutionary "time tree" that shows the interrelationships and divergence times of organisms based on analyses of molecular data. Under the assumption of predictable nucleotide substitution rates, divergence times are calculated by the use of well-dated fossils or geographic events as calibration points. Carnivora the clade of mammalian carnivores that includes cats, dogs, bears, and allies. Cenozoic the geological era that encompasses the period from 66 million years ago until the present. clade a natural phylogenetic unit, which consists of an ancestral species and all its descendants. countershading a form of camouflage in which the upper side of the body of an animal is more pigmented (darker) than the under side.
Rhetoric vs. reality: A commentary on ''Bird Origins Anew'' by A. Feduccia
2015
Birds are maniraptoran theropod dinosaurs. The evidence supporting the systematic position of Avialae as a derived clade within Dinosauria is voluminous and derived from multiple independent lines of evidence. In contrast, a paucity of selectively chosen data weakly support, at best, alternative proposals regarding the origin of birds and feathers. Opponents of the theory that birds are dinosaurs have frequently based their criticisms on unorthodox interpretations of paleontological data and misrepresentation of phylogenetic systematic methods. Moreover, arguments against the nested position of Avialae in Dinosauria have often conflated the logically distinct questions of avian origins, the evolution of flight, and the phylogenetic distribution of feathers. Motivated by a Perspectives article with numerous factual inaccuracies that recently appeared in The Auk, we provide a review of the full complement of facts pertaining to the avian origins debate and address the misplaced critic...
Symposium: Ancestry and origin of birds
Journal of Ornithology, 1994
A skeletal model constructed from casts of the London Archaeopteryx gives a unique threedimensional look at a Jurassic bird. The acetabulum of the pelvis has the articular region restricted to the anterior margin. This is unlike modern birds where the articular area is posterior and supplemented by an antitrochanter; nor is it like dinosaurs that have their articular surface on the dorsal rim of the acetabulum. When the leg is articulated to the pelvis, the only posture possible is erect, and primate-like. A vertical posture along with elongated manus phalanges, highly recurved manus claws, and laterally facing glenoids provide an ideal morphology for climbing tree trunks. They also support suggestions that flight may have originated from vertical clinging and leaping. When on the ground, Archaeopteryx would have been clumsy and vulnerable to predators. Because of the lack of a triosseai pulley system it is unlikely that it could take off directly from the ground. This capacity is the signal feature of more modernized birds with a horizontal posture, antitrochanter, upward facing glenoid, keeled sternum, triosseal canal, loss of manal claws and phalanges.
Fossil footprints provide important evidence regarding the morphology, behavior, distribution, and ecology of ancient animals. In recent years, the ichnological record (pertaining to fossils other than skeletal or body parts, most familiarly and commonly tracks) of major tetrapod clades has been studied intensively. The body fossil record amply demonstrates that the origin of birds lies within the theropod dinosaur lineage (making birds extant dinosaurs, in an evolutionary sense), but the ichnological record contributes much valuable information concerning behavioral shifts during both this evolutionary transition and the early diversification of birds. Here, for the first time, we review the entire avian track record, including its specialized ichnotaxonomy, from the Mesozoic (the “Age of Reptiles,” 250-65 million years ago) and Cenozoic (the “Age of Mammals and Birds,” 65 million years ago through the present, including the Holocene) and consider how the evidence impacts the understanding of avian evolution and ecology. Growing evidence from both the skeletal and track records indicates that the initial avian taxonomic, morphological, and ecological radiations took place around the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary (about 145 million years ago). Tracks similar to, and in some cases indistinguishable from, those made by modern shorebirds (Charadriiformes), small ducks (Anseriformes), small herons (Ciconiidae), and even roadrunners (Cuculiformes) appeared, and were even regionally abundant only 15-20 million years thereafter. In contrast, the oldest body fossil records of anseriforms and possibly charadriiforms occur very close to the end of the Cretaceous (roughly 70 million years ago), and later still for ciconiiforms and cuculiforms. This strongly implies that the early track makers were members of extinct, early avian lineages with which later taxa converged in foot morphology. Feeding traces associated with some of these tracks demonstrate that behaviors reminiscent of extant herons and spoonbills had also evolved by this time. However, despite significant skeletal and footprint finds, there is little correspondence between the records — few footprints match the feet of birds represented by skeletal remains. In short, the familiar morphologies and behaviors of many modern birds actually evolved convergently with many of their extinct, Mesozoic relatives. Footprints thus have the dual benefits of providing an important, and unexpected, complementary record of early avian morphological and ecological diversity while highlighting the importance of morphological and behavioral convergence. Although the skeletal record suggests an avian taxonomic shift at the “dinosaur-killing” Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary extinction event, the track record provides insufficient evidence to support or refute such a shift because the dominance of shorebird-like tracks continues uninterrupted from Mesozoic to Cenozoic. Early Paleogene tracks provide evidence of large, Diatryma- or Gastornis-like, ground dwelling birds in addition to typical shorebirds and waterbirds like the Eocene anseriform Presbyornis. Neogene tracks include those of a few large ratites and a turkey-like species; Holocene tracks include those of several species of moa. Unlike its Mesozoic counterpart, the Cenozoic avian body fossil and ichnological records correspond much more closely. Tracks of perching birds, raptors, and other groups that do not habitually frequent wet shorelines — the most suitable environment for track preservation — are rare. Indeed, the avian track record is dominated by the footprints of shorebirds, with a minor component attributable to large flightless and cursorial forms. Nevertheless, the body of literature on fossil bird tracks is still relatively small (~200 reports), describing about 6 ichnofamilies, comprising about 38 named ichnogenera and 65 ichnospecies.
The Dinosaur to Bird Hypothesis Lacks Statistical Support
It is widely believed that the dinosaur to bird theory is well supported. This is believed because the cladistic analyses that have been presented appear to support that theory. However when we look deeper into those analyses, we see that the statistical support indices show that all the core nodes are in fact poorly supported [1,2,3]. Although the dinosaur to bird hypothesis is considered to be well supported, the statistical support indices show that in fact the hypothesis is poorly supported. Introduction A phylogeny is typically analyzed by conducting a cladistic analysis which produces a cladogram. The nodes on the cladogram are evaluated by calculating support indices (Bremer, bootstrap/jackknife, GC). That has been done in multiple studies of the dinosaur to bird hypothesis. However all the core nodes in the hypothesized dinosaur to bird phylogeny are in fact poorly supported [1,2,3]. Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora and Paraves are all poorly supported.
Rhetoric vs. reality: A commentary on “Bird Origins Anew” by A. Feduccia
The Auk, 2015
Birds are maniraptoran theropod dinosaurs. The evidence supporting the systematic position of Avialae as a derived clade within Dinosauria is voluminous and derived from multiple independent lines of evidence. In contrast, a paucity of selectively chosen data weakly support, at best, alternative proposals regarding the origin of birds and feathers. Opponents of the theory that birds are dinosaurs have frequently based their criticisms on unorthodox interpretations of paleontological data and misrepresentation of phylogenetic systematic methods. Moreover, arguments against the nested position of Avialae in Dinosauria have often conflated the logically distinct questions of avian origins, the evolution of flight, and the phylogenetic distribution of feathers. Motivated by a Perspectives article with numerous factual inaccuracies that recently appeared in The Auk, we provide a review of the full complement of facts pertaining to the avian origins debate and address the misplaced criticisms raised in that opinion paper.
Origin of Birds: The Final Solution?
Integrative and Comparative Biology, 2000
SYNOPSIS. The origin of birds has been discussed since the discovery and description of Archaeopteryx in Bavaria in 1861. By 1868, Thomas Henry Huxley realized its significance as a connecting form, which illustrated how birds might have evolved from dinosaurs. A century later John Ostrom articulated a convincing modern case for the origin of birds from theropod dinosaurs. Recent cladistic analyses of theropod, bird and bird-like fossils seem to confirm this scenario of bird origins. The purpose of this paper is to examine both the philosophic principles and the practice of cladistic analysis upon which the dinosaur-bird link is currently based. Cladistics is based on a Popperian philosophy that emphasizes the hypothetical nature of all knowledge. Such a philosophy seems more suitable for analyzing idealized characters unrooted in time or space rather than real objects. A philosophy of critical realism seems more congenial for analysis of evolutionary biological individuals having a real history. Cladistics uses parsimony as a first principle, which may be rejected on the grounds that nature is prodigal in every regard. Parsimony based on morphology suffices only when there are no other data sets to consider. Cladistics systematically excludes data from stratigraphy, embryology, ecology, and biogeography that could otherwise be employed to bring maximum evolutionary coherence to biological data. Darwin would have convinced no one if he had been so restrictive in his theory of evolution. The current cladistic analysis of bird origins posits a series of outgroups to birds that postdate the earliest bird by up to 80 million years. This diverts attention from the search for real bird ancestors. A more coherent analysis would concentrate the search for real avian ancestors in the Late Jurassic.
The fossil record of bird behaviour
Journal of Zoology, 2014
Between the Middle Jurassic and Holocene, birds evolved an enormous diversity of behaviours. The distribution and antiquity of these behaviours is difficult to establish given a relatively poor fossil record. Rare crop, stomach and gut contents typically reveal diets consistent with morphology but stem-members of some lineages (including Cariamae and Coraciiformes) seem to have been different in ecology from their extant relatives. Most of our ideas about the behaviour of fossil birds are based on analogy (with skull form, limb proportions and claw curvature being used to guide hypotheses). However, this has limitations given that some extinct taxa lack extant analogues and that some extant taxa do not behave as predicted by osteology. Reductionist methods have been used to test predation style and running ability in fossil taxa including moa, Gastornis and phorusrhacids. Virtually nothing is known of nesting and nest-building behaviour but colonial nesting is known from the Cretaceous onwards. Rare vegetative nests demonstrate modern nest-building from the Eocene onwards. Ornamental rectrices indicate that sexually driven display drove some aspects of feather evolution and evidence for loud vocal behaviour and intraspecific combat is known for some taxa. Our knowledge of fossil bird behaviour indicates that 'modern' behaviours are at least as old as crown birds. Stem-members of extant lineages, however, may sometimes or often have differed from extant taxa.
Rhetoric Vs. Reality: A Commentary an "Bird Origins Anew" by A. Feduccia
2016
Birds are maniraptoran theropod dinosaurs. The evidence supporting the systematic position of Avialae as a derived clade within Dinosauria is voluminous and derived from multiple independent lines of evidence. In contrast, a paucity of selectively chosen data weakly support, at best, alternative proposals regarding the origin of birds and feathers. Opponents of the theory that birds are dinosaurs have frequently based their criticisms on unorthodox interpretations of paleontological data and misrepresentation of phylogenetic systematic methods. Moreover, arguments against the nested position of Avialae in Dinosauria have often conflated the logically distinct questions of avian origins, the evolution of flight, and the phylogenetic distribution of feathers. Motivated by a Perspectives article with numerous factual inaccuracies that recently appeared in The Auk, we provide a review of the full complement of facts pertaining to the avian origins debate and address the misplaced criticisms raised in that opinion paper.
Low ecological disparity in Early Cretaceous birds
Proceedings. Biological sciences / The Royal Society, 2014
Ecological divergence is thought to be coupled with evolutionary radiations, yet the strength of this coupling is unclear. When birds diversified ecologically has received much less attention than their hotly debated crown divergence time. Here, we quantify how accurately skeletal morphology can predict ecology in living and extinct birds, and show that the earliest known assemblage of birds (=pygostylians) from the Jehol Biota (≈125 Ma) was substantially impoverished ecologically. The Jehol avifauna has few representatives of highly preservable ecomorphs (e.g. aquatic forms) and a notable lack of ecomorphological overlap with the pterosaur assemblage (e.g. no large or aerially foraging pygostylians). Comparisons of the Jehol functional diversity with modern and subfossil avian assemblages show that taphonomic bias alone cannot explain the ecomorphological impoverishment. However, evolutionary simulations suggest that the constrained ecological diversity of the Early Cretaceous pygo...