Prehistoric tail feathers stuck 100 million years in amber

Scientists analyze ancient feather patterns and argue that they can act as bait, helping birds escape predators.

The team of paleontologist Lida Xing of China Geological University discovered feathers in 31 amber pieces in Myanmar, Science Aler reported on December 17. They exist from the Cretaceous period and are still well preserved to this day.

Piece of amber contains feathers of ancient birds.(Photo: Science Alert).

Scientists analyzed and found that these ancient feathers are very different from modern birds. Maybe they act as bait and fall when caught by predators, similar to how lizards lose their tails to escape.

They belong to the long-haired variety that grows in the tail of ancient birds, sometimes longer than the organism. Many birds now have long tail feathers to beautify or attract mates. Therefore, experts also initially thought that feathers in amber served this purpose.

Scientists have long known about prehistoric bird tail feathers , but most of the previous fossils were in a flat form, making detailed research difficult. The pattern of feathers in amber is well preserved in three dimensions, helping the expert team to see more clearly their special morphology. "Those are the weirdest feathers I've ever seen," commented paleontologist Jingmai O'Connor.

The type of feathers stuck in the amber has an unusual shape.(Photo: Journal of Palaeogeography).

The body of the pipe or the middle axis of the feather is very prominent. This type of pipe body does not have a closed column like a modern bird. It is less open on the underside and less silk is spread on both sides. The tube body is also very thin, some are less than 3 micrometers thick.

Based on the shape and thinness of the tube body, the researchers believe that this feather takes less energy to grow. This is a suitable feature if their task is to fall down when needed. They also do not have the same vivid color as the tail feathers used for normal beauty. Combined with a number of other factors, the team identified, these ancient feathers could play a defensive role and are useful in signaling.

The unusual shape of the pipe body also raises questions about the evolution of feathers for scientists. They need to study more bird feathers preserved in amber to find the answer.