Chinese scientists have discovered one of the world’s oldest bird fossils of Baminonis Zengensis in Fujian Province, eastern China. According to a research report released on Thursday, millions of years ago.
The study was conducted jointly by the Institute for Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleontology and Geological Survey, whose findings were published in the Academic Journal Nature on Thursday.
This study retreats the appearance of important bird features, such as pigostils, for nearly 20 million years.
Fossils discovered in November 2023 were identified as birds after a year of restoration and analysis by the research team. According to China Central Television (CCTV), the fossils are incomplete, but retain important features, including individual shoulder blades and corac bones, especially the fully fused pygostil.
The oldest bird currently widely recognized is the Archeopteryx, which was discovered in Germany and dated back to the Jurassic around 150 million years ago. However, recent studies have challenged the classification, suggesting that it may be more closely related to Deinonychosaurian dinosaurs than birds, as reported on CCTV.
The discovery of Baminornis Zhenghensis reveals for the first time that modern bird body structures appeared in the Jurassic and pushed the bird’s origin back to about 1.72-164 million years ago. Today it is the most decisive and only known Jurassic bird, changing people’s understanding of the evolution of birds.
Global Times
