Discovery of Fujianvenator prodigiosus, a Late Jurassic Avian Species from Zhenghe, Fujian Province, and its Significance for Avian Origins

Discovery of Fujianvenator prodigiosus, a Late Jurassic Avian Species from Zhenghe, Fujian Province, and its Significance for Avian OriginsA collaborative research team from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, led by Dr. Min Wang, and the Fujian Institute of Geological Survey has made a groundbreaking discovery, recently published in Nature

• Discovery of Fujianvenator prodigiosus, a Late Jurassic Avian Species from Zhenghe, Fujian Province, and its Significance for Avian Origins

• A collaborative research team from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, led by Dr. Min Wang, and the Fujian Institute of Geological Survey has made a groundbreaking discovery, recently published in Nature. The study reports the discovery of Fujianvenator prodigiosus (Zhenghe bird) from the Zhenghe biota in Fujian Province. This finding is considered one of the oldest birds globally and the only definitively Jurassic avian fossil to date. This discovery pushes back the appearance of modern avian body plan by nearly twenty million years, marking a milestone in understanding avian origins and early evolution.

• The research, initiated in 2021, involved years of paleontological and stratigraphic fieldwork in Fujian Province by a team comprised of Dr. Wang Min, researcher Zhonghe Zhou, and personnel from the Fujian Institute of Geological Survey. In September 2023, the team published findings in Nature on Fujianvenator prodigiosus, a novel dinosaur species discovered in the Zhenghe area, formally naming the Zhenghe biota. The Zhenghe biota provides a crucial window into the evolution of terrestrial ecosystems in East Asia during the Late Mesozoic.

• In November 2023, during further investigations of the Zhenghe biota, the team unearthed a partially preserved reptile fossil. Initially, only parts of the pectoral girdle were exposed, but Drs. Wang and Zhou, leveraging their extensive experience, astutely recognized its potential as an avian fossil. After a year of meticulous laboratory preparation and detailed research, the fossil was confirmed as a new avian species Fujianvenator prodigiosus.

• While incomplete, the preserved pectoral and pelvic girdles of Fujianvenator prodigiosus exhibit remarkable features. The girdles display advanced characteristics of Ornithothoraces, including separate coracoids and scapulae, and the absence of an obturator process on the ischium. Unexpectedly, however, the forelimbs retain primitive features reminiscent of maniraptoran theropod dinosaurs.

• To analyze evolutionary changes in different body parts during the dinosaur-to-bird transition, the researchers employed comparative phylogenetic methods, constructing separate morphospace for the forelimbs, pectoral girdle, and pelvic girdle. Results show that the pectoral and pelvic girdle features of Fujianvenator prodigiosus fall within the morphospace of Cretaceous enantiornithines and ornithuromorphs, while its forelimb features reside within the morphospace of non-avian theropod dinosaurs. This strongly supports the modular and mosaic evolution models in avian origins.

• The discovery of Fujianvenator prodigiosus is highly significant, revealing for the first time the presence of the modern avian body plan in the Jurassic period, predating its previously known appearance by approximately twenty million years. Phylogenetic analysis places Fujianvenator prodigiosus after Archaeopteryx as an early diverging lineage in the avian evolutionary tree.

• In addition to Fujianvenator prodigiosus, the team discovered an isolated furcula fossil within the Zhenghe biota. Due to limited preservation, researchers used geometric morphometrics, phylogenetics, and discriminant analysis to determine its taxonomic placement. Results indicate similarity to Cretaceous ornithuromorphs, differing from Fujianvenator prodigiosus, other Jurassic birds, and dinosaurs. Lacking further information, it is currently classified broadly as avian. However, its discovery strongly suggests at least two avian species inhabited the Zhenghe biota.

• The team estimates that Fujianvenator prodigiosus places the origin of birds in the Late Middle Jurassic. If the furcula indeed belongs to an ornithuromorph, the origin of birds would be pushed back even further.

• The Zhenghe biota, with its unique biological composition and geological context, provides invaluable new information on the evolution of Late Jurassic terrestrial ecosystems and the origins of diverse animals, including birds and Choristodera. The discovery of Fujianvenator prodigiosus is a major breakthrough in paleontology, significantly advancing our understanding of avian origins and early evolution, and pointing the way for future research. This achievement not only reshapes our understanding of avian evolutionary history but also underscores China's leading international role in paleontological research.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is sourced from the internet. The copyright of the text, images, and other materials belongs to the original author. The platform reprints the materials for the purpose of conveying more information. The content of the article is for reference and learning only, and should not be used for commercial purposes. If it infringes on your legitimate rights and interests, please contact us promptly and we will handle it as soon as possible! We respect copyright and are committed to protecting it. Thank you for sharing.(Email:[email protected])