Re: New Jeholornis specimen

["Nick Gardner" <ratites637@hotmail.com>]

> From the site,

"Abstract:  The recently reported Jeholornis represents the only known bird 
with a complete long skeletal tail except for Archaeopteryx. Two newly 
discovered specimens referable to Jeholornis provide some important new 
information about its anatomy. The tail of Jeholornis is much longer than 
that of Archaeopteryx and comprises a maximum of 27 caudal vertebrae 
compared with only 23 in Archaeopteryx. More interestingly, the tail 
feathers are shaped more like those of dromaeosaurs than those of 
Archaeopteryx. We conclude that the common ancestor of birds must have a 
more primitive tail than that in Archaeopteryx, confirming the side branch 
position of Archaeopteryx in the early avian evolution. The synsacrum is 
composed of six sacrals, representing a transitional stage between 
Archaeopteryx and more advanced birds. The scapula of Jeholornis has a 
dorso-laterally exposed glenoid facet, and the coracoid has a supracoracoid 
foramen. The presence of a pair of fenestrae in the sternum of Jeholornis 
has further implications for the air-sac system in early birds."




Nick Gardner

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