Detection of feathers from the time of dinosaurs covered in amber

Seven feathers in perfect preservation in the recently discovered amber in France contain information about an extremely important stage in feather evolution. Scientists say the million-year-old plumage has a similar structure of feathers in some bipedal dinosaurs called theropods and modern bird feathers.

That means that the fossil may fill an important gap in the puzzle of dinosaur-like birds, according to research team Vincent Perrichot of the University of Kansas Paleontology.

The finding is a clear example ' of a link between primitive fuzz and modern feathers ', according to a member of the research group Didier Néraudeau, Rennes University, France. The team is not sure whether the feathers belong to dinosaurs or birds. But fossil teeth from the two dinosaurs believed to have feathers were also excavated from the stone layer just above the amber. 'It is possible that the feathers belong to a dinosaur rather than to a bird.'

Feathers

Perrichot discovered small feathers in a block of amber, a fossil tree resin, in a quarry in the Poitou-Charentes region, France in 2000.

The feathers of the feathers are primitive and very close to the feathers. The filaments of feathers are not fully attached to the base and are similar to today's feathers, they lack the kind of hooks that hold down feathers. Today birds cannot take off with such feathers.

Studies suggest that the first primitive evolutionary feathers from dinosaurs cannot fly, which are used to generate heat and retain heat. The feathers later evolved to have more flying functions, although experts argued whether the bird's closest ancestors were glider dinosaurs, residing in trees or living on dinosaurs. The land runs at high speed and eventually takes off from the ground.

Seven primitive feathers were discovered in an amber block dating from 100 million years ago and can fill an important gap in the puzzle of how dinosaurs evolved into birds.These feathers are characterized by fibers similar to feathers of bipedal theropod dinosaurs and feathers of modern birds.(Photo: National Geographic)

Either way, the feathers in this amber show for the first time the transition from fluff to a two-dimensional aerodynamic form that helps to form the ability to fly . ' The most important development in feather evolution ' was introduced in evolutionary theories but has never been tested on fossil feathers and modernity.

Neraudeau research team member added that this missing link was ' a controversy of creative theorists and others opposed to theropods - birds and support for other sources of feathers. theropod and bird feather. "

'Good first evidence'

Nick Longrich, University of Calgary - Canada, said: ' This may be the first good evidence of the feathers on the body of the dinosaurs.'

Newly discovered fossil bird fossil specialist after the first recorded bird species, Archeopteryx lived 150 million years ago, about 50 million years ago.

Longrich said: 'It is clear that the host animal of the feathers is not a direct ancestor of any species except dinosaurs, but we may be observing many aspects of the ancient feather structure. So the animal itself is not transformative but it has a transformative structure. '

It is also possible that the simple structure of feathers is not too primitive. Birds that cannot fly today like pheasants and ostriches also have extremely simple feathers. More fossil specimens are needed to conclude this issue, so ' hope this work will make more people look for fossils in amber', Longrich added.