Soft-tissue and dermal arrangement in the wing of an Early Cretaceous bird: Implications for the evolution of avian flight

Despite a wealth of fossils of Mesozoic birds revealing evidence of plumage and other soft-tissue structures, the epidermal and dermal anatomy of their wing's patagia remain largely unknown. We describe a distal forelimb of an enantiornithine bird from the Lower Cretaceous limestones of Las Hoy...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2015-10, Vol.5 (1), p.14864-14864, Article 14864
Main Authors: Navalón, Guillermo, Marugán-Lobón, Jesús, Chiappe, Luis M, Luis Sanz, José, Buscalioni, Ángela D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anatomy
Animals
Biological Evolution
Birds
Connective tissues
Feathers
Feathers - anatomy & histology
Feathers - ultrastructure
Flight
Flight, Animal - physiology
Follicles
Fossils
Integument
Ligaments
Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
Muscles
Muscles - anatomy & histology
Muscles - ultrastructure
Phylogeny
Plumage
Skin
Skin - anatomy & histology
Skin - ultrastructure
Tendons
Wings, Animal - anatomy & histology
Wings, Animal - ultrastructure
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Summary:Despite a wealth of fossils of Mesozoic birds revealing evidence of plumage and other soft-tissue structures, the epidermal and dermal anatomy of their wing's patagia remain largely unknown. We describe a distal forelimb of an enantiornithine bird from the Lower Cretaceous limestones of Las Hoyas, Spain, which reveals the overall morphology of the integument of the wing and other connective structures associated with the insertion of flight feathers. The integumentary anatomy, and myological and arthrological organization of the new fossil is remarkably similar to that of modern birds, in which a system of small muscles, tendons and ligaments attaches to the follicles of the remigial feathers and maintains the functional integrity of the wing during flight. The new fossil documents the oldest known occurrence of connective tissues in association with the flight feathers of birds. Furthermore, the presence of an essentially modern connective arrangement in the wing of enantiornithines supports the interpretation of these primitive birds as competent fliers.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/srep14864