Chinese paleontologists have discovered a landmark fossil that could shed new light on the evolution of birds from dinosaurs. The short-tailed bird, named Baminornis zhenghensis, is believed to be the world’s oldest known bird fossil and dates back approximately 150 million years to the Jurassic period.
The discovery pushes back the first appearance of short-tailed birds by around 20 million years. Baminornis had a modern bird-like body with an advanced chest and short tail but retained the forelimb shape of raptor dinosaurs, such as those found in Tyrannosaurus. It’s estimated that Baminornis weighed between 140-300 grams.
The find has significant implications for understanding one of the most crucial stages of evolution – the transition from bipedal theropod dinosaurs to birds. With a limited fossil record, this discovery helps researchers uncover more about this critical period in evolutionary history.
Source: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3298581/why-jurassic-bird-fossil-china-might-rewrite-evolutionary-history