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Artist’s reconstruction of the Late Cretaceous enantiornithine bird Falcatakely forsterae.
(Mark Witton)
When we think of the age of reptiles – between 250 million and 65 million years ago – large dinosaurs come to mind. However, the period, officially known as the Mesozoic Era, also hosted hundreds of varieties of birds – some more peculiar than others.
Paleontologists have now discovered a new avian creature that lived on Earth about 68 million years ago. The fossil remains, which were unraveled in 2010 in northern Madagascar – located off the south-eastern coast of Africa – shed light on the remarkable characteristics of this crow-sized bird. The ancient species appears to be the precursor to modern-day Toucans – birds with large, often colorful beaks.
By decoding the delicate remains, the team noted that birds lived with dinosaurs during Mesozoic times. Additionally, the fossils not only offer a glimpse of the great diversity of birds that lived during this time, but also provide interesting information about how the faces and beaks of various species of birds have evolved over time.
Bird’s particular skull
The newly discovered bird is nicknamed Falcatakely forsterae and measures 3.5 inches. It is known to be the second species of bird from the Mesozoic era discovered in Madagascar. When Falcatakely lived on Earth in this reptile age, Madagascar endured a semi-arid environment and the condition in which this bird was buried indicates the probable cause of death as being crushed by a mudslide.
Although the fossil is only the front half of a skull, researchers say it is very unique. The specimen shows that its sickle-shaped beak has never been documented before for a bird from this time. Paleontologists have documented over 200 species of birds from the time, but none have a skull resembling that of Falcatakely.
Speaking about this unique feature, Patrick O’Connor, lead author of the study, said: “Mesozoic birds with such tall and long faces are completely unknown, with Falcatakely providing a great opportunity to reconsider ideas around the evolution of head and beak in the lineage leading to modern birds.
Ancient toucans?
The fossils give a resemblance quite similar to that of modern toucans and hornbills. Additionally, the study notes that the bird’s anatomy was quite surprising as the underlying facial skeleton looked nothing like modern creatures, regardless of the similarity to the face.
“Falcatakely could generally look like any number of modern birds with the skin and beak in place, however, it is the underlying skeletal structure of the face that transforms what we know about the evolutionary anatomy of birds. on his head, “said Dr O’Connor.
Illustration depicting the Falcatakely early bird among non-avian dinosaurs and other creatures during the Late Cretaceous period in Madagascar.
(Mark Witton)
This has been proven by the surprisingly preserved bone in the fossil, which gives clues to the anatomy of the ancient creature. The authors spotted the bone known as ectopterygoid, a type of bone typically not found in modern living birds. It turns out that the skeleton looks more like non-avian theropod dinosaurs than modern birds. Therefore, the discovery reveals a shape of the skull previously unknown to any bird of this time.
Researchers concluded that Falcatakely belongs to an extinct family of birds known as enantiornithins. Additionally, another thing the researchers stumbled upon was a preserved tooth, found on the tip of the muzzle. It is likely that the bird had more teeth, which were not preserved.
Overcome the obstacle to research
One of the biggest research challenges was the fragility of the remaining skull and beak. To overcome this hurdle, the team used the technique of high-resolution imaging and digital modeling to study the bones. In addition, they used 3D printing technology to completely reconstruct the skull. Once the structure was created, the researchers carefully examined the details and compared them to other known species.
The researchers point out that there is a huge void in what we know about bird species that coexisted with dinosaurs. Additionally, the biggest challenge remains finding well-preserved fossils of these birds from this era, as the skeletons are known to be lightweight.
The discovery of this exquisite fossil gives a new twist to the evolutionary understanding of how the skulls and beaks of birds have changed over time. The study’s authors say this finding is a perfect example of how evolution can occur across different developmental pathways. The study was carried out by a team of researchers from Ohio University Heritage College.
The study was published in the journal Nature and can be viewed here.
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