Ornamental feathers in Cretaceous Burmese amber:resolving the enigma of rachis-dominated feather structure  

作　　者：Lida Xing Pierre Cockx Ryan C.McKellar Jingmai O’Connor 

机构地区：[1]State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing) [2]School of the Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing) [3]Royal Saskatchewan Museum [4]Biology Department, University of Regina [5]Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas [6]Institute ofVertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

出　　处：《Journal of Palaeogeography》2019年第1期1-18,共18页古地理学报（英文版）

基　　金：National Natural Science Foundation of China(41772008);Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2652017215);National Geographic Society,U.S.A.(EC0768-15);Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council,Canada(2015-00681);RSM and Paul Riegert scholarships(to P.C.)for support

摘　　要：Over the last 20 years, compression fossils of feathers surrounding dinosaurs have greatly expanded our understanding of the origin and evolution of feathers. One of the most peculiar feather morphotypes discovered to date are rachis dominated feathers(RDFs), which have also been referred to as proximally ribbon-like pennaceous feathers(PRPFs). These elongate feathers are only found in the tail plumage, typically occurring in pairs with both streamer(not proximally ribbon-like) and racket-plume morphologies recognized. Here we describe a large sample set of isolated and paired RDFs from Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber(～ 99 Ma). Amber preserves the finest details of these fragile structures in three dimensions, demonstrating that RDFs form a distinct feather morphotype with a ventrally open rachis, and with significant variability in pigmentation, microstructure, and symmetry.Over the last 20 years, compression fossils of feathers surrounding dinosaurs have greatly expanded our understanding of the origin and evolution of feathers. One of the most peculiar feather morphotypes discovered to date are rachis dominated feathers(RDFs), which have also been referred to as proximally ribbon-like pennaceous feathers(PRPFs). These elongate feathers are only found in the tail plumage, typically occurring in pairs with both streamer(not proximally ribbon-like) and racket-plume morphologies recognized. Here we describe a large sample set of isolated and paired RDFs from Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber(～ 99 Ma). Amber preserves the finest details of these fragile structures in three dimensions, demonstrating that RDFs form a distinct feather morphotype with a ventrally open rachis, and with significant variability in pigmentation, microstructure, and symmetry.

关 键 词：Enantiornithes Confuciusornithiformes Fossil FEATHER Myanmar ORNAMENTAL FEATHER 

分 类 号：P[天文地球]