中国早白垩世今鸟类甘肃鸟的蹼足化石

    Webbed foot of an Early Cretaceous ornithurine bird Gansus from China

    • 摘要: 玉门甘肃鸟(Gansus yumenensis)是中国发现的第一只中生代鸟类化石。该化石产自甘肃西北部下沟组,时代与辽宁西部产热河生物群的早白垩世地层的时代大体相当。该鸟类趾节拉长,很短的爪具有较尖锐的屈肌结节,因而被认为是一种适应于水生生活的鸟类。玉门甘肃鸟的建立最初仅依据一件左足标本,直到最近又发现了少量可供进一步研究的新标本。本文描述了一件新的玉门甘肃鸟的完整后肢化石,标本在远端趾节之间显示出清晰的蹼的构造。这为玉门甘肃鸟具有发育足蹼的观点提供了最直接的证据。玉门甘肃鸟也成为世界上已知最古老的适应于水生生活环境的鸟类。

       

      Abstract: Gansus yumenensis is the first Mesozoic bird found in China. It was collected from the Xiagou Formation in northwestern Gansu, which is considered to be equivalent to the Early Cretaceous strata yielding the Jehol biota in western Liaonlng. Based on some characters such as elongated phalanges and short claws with pointed flexor tubercles, Gansus yurnenensis is regarded as the bird adapted to life in the aquatic environment. Gansus yurnenensis was originally erected only based on a unique specimen of the left pes, and some specimens have been found for a further study recendy. In this paper, a newly discovered complete hindlimb of Gansus yurnenensis is described, which shows the clear webbed structures among the distal portions of pedal phalanges. It is the first direct evidence to show that Gansus yurnenensis with well-developed footwebs is really the oldest known bird specifically well-adapted to life in the aquatic environment in the world.

       

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