红山鸟科(今鸟类)—新属种(英文)

根据发现于内蒙古宁城早白垩世义县组地层中一件保存近乎完整的亚成年鸟类标本,报道了早期今鸟型类一新属、新种——陈氏天宇鸟(Tianyuornis cheni gen.et sp.nov.)。新属种与红山鸟科(高冠红山鸟Hongshanornis longicresta,侯氏长腿鸟Longicrusavis houi及朝阳副红山鸟Parahongshanornis chaoyangensis)的特征最为相近,如体型大小相似,后肢明显长于前肢等;但也具有一系列与其他红山鸟科成员不同的特征,包括上下颌都保存有牙齿,齿骨直(特殊的"S"形齿骨曾被认为是红山鸟科鸟类的近裔特征),胸骨后外侧突远端呈扇形扩展等。这些特征表明新标本为红山鸟科一新属种。该新属种的发现使红山鸟科成为已知种属分化最丰富的早白垩世今鸟类群。另外,新标本也丰富了红山鸟科鸟类许多新的重要形态学信息,证实这一支系鸟类仍保留有牙齿结构。     

A NEW BASAL BEAKED ORNITHURINE BIRD FROM THE LOWER CRETACEOUS OF WESTERN LIAONING, CHINA

根据发现于辽宁西部建昌早白垩世九佛堂组一件保存较为完好的标本,描述了原始今鸟类一新属种,李氏叉尾鸟(Schizooura lii gen.et sp.nov.).系统发育分析表明,它较建昌鸟和古喙鸟进步,但又较热河生物群中其他已知的今鸟类原始.这一新种叉骨呈Ⅴ型,且具有一短的叉骨突,这是这一特征首次在早白垩世今鸟中发现.其胸骨加长,后缘无窗孔,且无很深的凹口.肱骨三角肌脊膨大,近乎达到肱骨长的一半.新鸟的头骨保存较好,显示其具喙的特征,前颌骨直接与额骨相关节.值得关注的是,这件标本首次展示了在中生代鸟类中,除扇形尾羽之外的第二种尾羽类型.新标本具叉形尾羽,中间分隔明显.对现生鸟类的研究表明,叉尾型的空气动力学效率比扇尾型要低,但在性选择方面具有优势.这一新的发现说明,在热河生物群生活的森林环境中,今鸟类的基干种类在尾羽性状上或许已经存在着不同的选择策略.     

辽西早白垩世今鸟类一基干有喙新属种(英文)

根据发现于辽宁西部建昌早白垩世九佛堂组一件保存较为完好的标本,描述了原始今鸟类一新属种,李氏叉尾鸟(Schizooura lii gen.et sp.nov.)。系统发育分析表明,它较建昌鸟和古喙鸟进步,但又较热河生物群中其他已知的今鸟类原始。这一新种叉骨呈Ⅴ型,且具有一短的叉骨突,这是这一特征首次在早白垩世今鸟中发现。其胸骨加长,后缘无窗孔,且无很深的凹口。肱骨三角肌脊膨大,近乎达到肱骨长的一半。新鸟的头骨保存较好,显示其具喙的特征,前颌骨直接与额骨相关节。值得关注的是,这件标本首次展示了在中生代鸟类中,除扇形尾羽之外的第二种尾羽类型。新标本具叉形尾羽,中间分隔明显。对现生鸟类的研究表明,叉尾型的空气动力学效率比扇尾型要低,但在性选择方面具有优势。这一新的发现说明,在热河生物群生活的森林环境中,今鸟类的基干种类在尾羽性状上或许已经存在着不同的选择策略。     

鹏鸟(Pengornis)一新材料及其对反鸟特征演化的指示意义（英文）

鹏鸟(Pengornis)是早白垩世已知体型最大的反鸟类,其骨骼兼有反鸟类和今鸟类的特征。报道了辽西九佛堂组新发现的一件鹏鸟的亚成年个体标本,代表了该属鸟类除侯氏鹏鸟(Pengornis houi)正型标本外的已知第二件标本,暂归入鹏鸟未定种(Pengornis sp.)。该标本头骨与头后骨骼近乎完整保存,并附有羽毛印痕,仅缺失部分右前肢和部分左后肢。新标本首次提供了鹏鸟胸骨与基干反鸟类原羽鸟(Protopteryx)及基干今鸟类古喙鸟(Archaeorhynchus)相似的形态特征,肯定了鹏鸟的基干位置,并讨论了其在鸟类胸骨演化中的意义。新标本对前肢和后肢(特别是脚趾)等的许多特征也有补充,表明其应当属于树栖生活的鸟类。     

辽宁早白垩世会鸟一新种(英文)

记述了辽宁朝阳大平房早白垩世九佛堂组湖相地层中发现的会鸟化石一新种,窄脊会鸟(Sapeornis angustis sp.nov.)。尽管新种正型标本属于一亚成年个体,但除个体较小外,还在许多特征上很容易与属型种(朝阳会鸟)相区别。例如,不超过6枚荐椎,肱骨的三角脊和气窗均较细窄,三角脊远端的背突不显著尖锐,乌喙骨具有较长的肩峰突,叉骨枝较细,叉骨突较短,第一掌骨以及耻骨突均相对较短等。和始祖鸟以及其他已报道的会鸟标本一样,新种材料没有保存胸骨,肋骨上也未见钩状突起,推测这两种结构可能在个体发育的晚期才开始骨化,上述标本均为发育早中期的个体。会鸟新种的发现为这一基干的原始鸟类提供了新的解剖特征,并表明在会鸟的演化过程中存在个体的逐步增大以及一些形态特征的特化现象。这一新的发现还为分析早白垩世陆地生态系统的鸟类多样性增添了新的资料。     

河南内乡桑坪组-新禽龙及其地层学意义

记述了禽龙亚目(Iguanodontia)一个新属种--诸葛南阳龙(Nanyangosaurus zhugeii).标本产于河南内乡夏馆镇桑坪组的紫红色泥质粉砂岩中.它的自近裔特征包括:第二掌骨超过第三掌骨和第四掌骨长度的90%;第四掌骨远端异常粗壮;指节Ⅳ-1长度小于远端横向宽度;第二跖骨近端腹背向长度大于第三跖骨.系统发育分析表明,南阳龙代表亲缘关系与鸭嘴龙超科最为接近的一类鸟脚类恐龙.诸葛南阳龙的发现支持了夏馆盆地红层为早白垩世沉积的观点.     

辽宁西部下白垩统反鸟类一新科——Alethoalaorvithidae fam.nov.

记述发现于辽宁省朝阳县原家洼村中生代地层中的反鸟类一新科:真翼鸟科(Alethoalaornithidae fam.nov.)。由于该科鸟类具有肩胛骨直,第1、2指仍有爪,腓骨和胫跗骨不愈合,趾骨不太钩曲等特征,将真翼鸟科归入华夏鸟目(Cathayornithiformes)。真翼鸟科的特有特征包括:吻尖,齿少,牙齿退化的趋势明显,腕掌骨基本形成,乌喙骨远端宽,肱骨近端具明显的气窝,尾综骨长,跗蹠骨末端三趾骨等长且滑车末端基本处于同一水平面,趾骨爪长,不甚钩曲等。通过对新材料和其它早期鸟类的对比认为,反鸟类的灭绝不仅有自身构造的原因,还有它们所生活的生态环境多变的原因。     

河南内乡桑坪组一新禽龙及其地层学意义

记述了禽龙亚目（Ｉｇｕａｎｏｄｏｎｔｉａ）一个新属种─—诸葛南阳龙（Ｎａｎｙａｎｇｏｓａｕｒｕｓ　ｚｈｕｇｅｉｉ）。标本产于河南内乡夏馆镇桑坪组的紫红色泥质粉砂岩中。它的自近裔特征包括：第二掌骨超过第三掌骨和第四掌骨长度的９０％;第四掌骨远端异常粗壮;指节ＩＶ－１长度小于远端横向宽度;第二跖骨近端腹背向长度大于第三跖骨。系统发育分析表明,南阳龙代表亲缘关系与鸭嘴龙超科最为接近的一类鸟脚类恐龙。诸葛南阳龙的发现支持了夏馆盆地红层为早白垩世沉积的观点。     

中国早白垩世反鸟类一新科(Bohaiornithidae fam.nov.)（英文）

依据3件近乎完整的骨骼化石,记述了辽宁建昌早白垩世湖相地层九佛堂组反鸟类的两个新属种:马氏副渤海鸟(Parabohaiornis martini gen.et sp.nov.)和库氏长爪鸟(Longusunguis kurochkini gen.et sp.nov.)。这两个新属种与此前报道的渤海鸟(Bohaiornis)、神七鸟(Shenqiornis)、齿槽鸟(Sulcavis)和周鸟(Zhouornis)具有一些独特的形态特征,包括吻端粗壮、牙齿粗大并近似锥形、叉骨上升支的末端明显膨大、胸骨的后外侧突向外侧强烈偏转、跗蹠骨粗短、第三脚趾具有很长的爪子。对包含有大量中生代鸟类和形态特征的矩阵进行了系统发育分析,其结果显示这两个新属种与上述的这些反鸟构成了一个单系类群,基于此建立了一个新科——渤海鸟科。渤海鸟科包括6个属,代表了目前已知的反鸟类中多样性最丰富的一个类群,进一步增加了我们对于反鸟类高阶分类单元之间亲缘关系的认识。渤海鸟科强壮的吻端和脚爪表明其占据了不同于其他早白垩世反鸟的生态位。     

鸟类跗跖骨远端形态的两种模式及其栖息行为

通过对大量现生鸟类的跗跖骨进行对比研究,得出鸟类的跗跖骨远端特征可以被用来作为判断鸟类栖息习性的依据。地栖性鸟类的跗跖骨远端由第Ⅱ、第Ⅲ、第Ⅳ跖骨滑车组成典型的“三角”模式,而树栖性鸟类的跗跖骨远端则是由位于同一平面位置的第Ⅱ、第Ⅲ、第Ⅳ跖骨滑车组成典型的“滚轴”模式。由此还尝试对中生代鸟类的栖息习性和功能作了检验和判定,依此鉴定与借助其他依据识别的结果比较一致。鸟类跗跖骨远端形态结构的观察与研究,对评判古鸟的栖息习性以及鸟类的栖息演化历史都具有重要意义。     

辽宁朝阳九佛堂组今鸟类(红山鸟科)一新属种

记述了辽宁朝阳原家洼九佛堂组发现的原始今鸟类一新属种:朝阳副红山鸟(Parahongshanornischaoyangensis gen.et sp.nov.)。尽管缺失头骨,但其头后特征和红山鸟及一件属于红山鸟科的长腿鸟最为接近,具有该科的一些明显鉴定特征,如前肢相对后肢十分短小,"U"字形的叉骨长明显大于宽等,因此可以归入红山鸟科。新鸟在以下特征上可与红山鸟及长腿鸟相区别,如叉骨支近端侧向压扁,联合处有一条深沟;胸骨末端有两对后凹陷,在龙骨突与侧突之间有短的后突;第Ⅱ指第1指节相对更加短粗,第2指节细长;耻骨具有膨大的耻骨脚等。新材料的发现为红山鸟类提供了新的解剖学特征,还为研究早期今鸟类的多样性提供了新材料。     

A fossil brain from the Cretaceous of European Russia and avian sensory evolution

Fossils preserving traces of soft anatomy are rare in the fossil record; even rarer is evidence bearing on the size and shape of sense organs that provide us with insights into mode of life. Here, we describe unique fossil preservation of an avian brain from the Volgograd region of European Russia. The brain of this Melovatka bird is similar in shape and morphology to those of known fossil ornithurines (the lineage that includes living birds), such as the marine diving birds Hesperornis and Enaliornis, but documents a new stage in avian sensory evolution: acute nocturnal vision coupled with well-developed hearing and smell, developed by the Late Cretaceous (ca 90Myr ago). This fossil also provides insights into previous 'bird-like' brain reconstructions for the most basal avian Archaeopteryx--reduction of olfactory lobes (sense of smell) and enlargement of the hindbrain (cerebellum) occurred subsequent to Archaeopteryx in avian evolution, closer to the ornithurine lineage that comprises living birds. The Melovatka bird also suggests that brain enlargement in early avians was not correlated with the evolution of powered flight.     

甘肃鸟的新材料及其解剖和行为习性的补充研究

继1984年首次报道甘肃玉门昌马发现的早白垩世甘肃鸟及2006年记述多件甘肃鸟标本以来,再次对发现于2004～2006年间的9件甘肃鸟标本进行形态的详细观察,补充描述甘肃鸟新的骨骼特征,包括侧面保存的胸骨、有较完整的镰刀形龙骨突及胸骨背侧特征等;部分前肢骨骼上有位于关节位置、呈短长方形的尺腕骨和桡腕骨;指式"2-3-1",小指骨的爪节完全退化消失;后肢各趾中第1趾节最长,趾爪短小且弯曲度小;第Ⅰ趾相对较短、细弱,与其他趾相对握;第Ⅲ趾粗壮,略短于第Ⅳ趾。在胫跗骨和跗跖骨关节处保存有鳞片状的皮肤印痕,趾骨间有蹼的印痕。通过指示性骨骼测量的三元分析,得出甘肃鸟是一类善飞的潜水鸟,其习性接近于部分现生的鸭科成员,与之前有关甘肃鸟生活习性的推测较为接近。     

A beaked basal ornithurine bird (Aves, Ornithurae) from the Lower Cretaceous of China

We report here one of the earliest known beaked ornithurine birds from the Lower Cretaceous deposits in Liaoning, northeast China. The new basal ornithurine, Archaeorhynchus spathula gen. et sp. nov., has a rhynchokinetic skull with toothless jaws. It also contains over three dozen preserved gizzard stones, suggesting an herbivorous diet. The distal end of the tibiotarsus is unfused, enabling recognition of the astragalus with a broad ascending process, generally similar to that of Archaeopteryx . The new discovery sheds new light on our understanding of the early radiation and diet diversification of early birds in the Lower Cretaceous.     

辽宁西部早白垩世义县组一新驰龙类

我国辽西早白垩世义县组底部陆家屯层近年来产出大量恐龙和其他脊椎动物化石 ,其中包括兽脚类恐龙当中的伤齿龙类和窃蛋龙类 (Xu ,2 0 0 2 )。本文报道该层位产出的一件驰龙类化石标本。通过对比研究 ,我们确认这一标本不同于热河群已知的其他 3种驰龙类 ,并建立了驰龙类的一个新属种 :陆家屯纤细盗龙 (Graciliraptorlujiatunensisgen .etsp .nov .)。驰龙类最初发现于北美晚白垩世地层中 (MatthewandBrown ,1 92 2 ) ,随后在蒙古晚白垩世地层中也有发现 (Osborn ,1 92 4 ) ;现在已知驰龙类的化石记录主要集中在北美和中亚地区的白垩纪地层中 (Xu ,2 0 0 2 )。千禧中国鸟龙 (Sinornithosaurusmillenii)曾代表最早的确定无疑的驰龙属种 (Xuetal.,1 999) ,其生存时代大约为 1 2 5Ma (Swisheretal.,1 999)。陆家屯纤细盗龙正型标本产于义县组底部陆家屯层 ,其上覆和下伏岩层的同位素年代分别为 1 2 8Ma和 1 39Ma (Swisheretal.,2 0 0 1 )。因此 ,陆家屯纤细盗龙代表已知最早的驰龙属种。陆家屯纤细盗龙和其他驰龙类共享以下近裔特征 :尾椎前关节突和脉弧极度加长、上颌齿后缘锯齿明显大于前缘锯齿和指节III- 2明显缩短。陆家屯纤细盗龙的以下近裔特征区别于其他驰龙类 :中部尾椎有一板状结构连接左右后关节     

Oldest known avian footprints from Australia: Eumeralla Formation (Albian), Dinosaur Cove,Victoria

Two thin‐toed tridactyl tracks in a fluvial sandstone bed of the Eumeralla Formation (Albian) at Dinosaur Cove (Victoria, Australia) were likely made by avian trackmakers, making these the oldest known fossil bird tracks in Australia and the only Early Cretaceous ones from Gondwana. These tracks, which co‐occur on the same surface with a slightly larger nonavian theropod track, are distinguishable by their anisodactyl form, hallux impressions and wide digit II–IV divarication angles. A lengthy hallux impression and other deformational structures associated with one track indicate foot movement consistent with an abrupt stop, suggesting its tracemaker landed after either flight or a hop. The single nonavian theropod track is similar to other tracks described from the Eumeralla Formation at another locality. The avian footprints are larger than most Early Cretaceous avian tracks recorded worldwide, indicating sizeable enantiornithine or ornithurine species in formerly polar environments of Australia. The avian tracks further supplement scant body fossil evidence of Early Cretaceous birds in southern Australia, which includes a furcula from the Wonthaggi Formation. Because of this discovery, Dinosaur Cove, previously known for its vertebrate body fossils, is added to a growing list of Early Cretaceous vertebrate tracksites in southern Australia.     

中国中生代鸟类后肢骨骼的长度比例特征及栖息习性的分析

通过对18目59科137例现生不同栖息习性鸟类的后肢3块骨骼(股骨、胫跗骨和跗跖骨)长度比例的观察和特征分析,推断出鸟类的栖息习性与后肢3块骨骼中各骨骼长度所占总长度的比例存在密切的关系。即在所有鸟类的后肢骨骼中,胫跗骨的长度占3块骨骼的比例为最大;地栖鸟类后肢骨骼中股骨的长度要短于跗跖骨;树栖鸟类后肢骨骼中股骨的长度要长于跗跖骨。鸟类后肢3块骨骼的长度比例特征是鸟类长期对栖息等行为适应的结果。在此基础上,对中国中生代14例鸟类的栖息习性进行了分析,利用三元投影的统计方法,并以国内外新生代(古近纪和新近纪)21例鸟类标本作为对比参考,得出辽西中生代不同类型鸟类的栖息行为特征:基干鸟类以树栖为主要习性,其中个别鸟类还具有攀援的习性,而反鸟类则是典型的树栖鸟类,今鸟类兼有树、地栖的习性。研究表明,在现行的鸟类系统发育框架下,树栖适应(及攀援)代表了鸟类演化历史中最原始的生活方式。这一结论也支持鸟类飞行的树栖起源假说。中生代鸟类栖息习性分异的多样性反映了早期鸟类演化过程中自身以及与其他同期生物在生态空间和食物资源的竞争的加剧和对环境的不断适应。     

中国中生代的鸟类:介绍及综述

最近十来年 ,中国辽宁发现的早白垩世的鸟类化石超过了世界上其它任何一个地区。中国的中生代鸟类化石代表了始祖鸟化石之后鸟类历史上第一次显著的分异。它们不仅包括了带有明显恐龙祖先特征的长尾的鸟类 ,而且还包括了许多进步或特化的种类 ,如早白垩世最大的鸟类 ,最原始的反鸟类 ,以及保存最好的、飞行结构和现生鸟类几乎一样的今鸟类。这些早期鸟类在诸如飞行、大小和食性等所反映的演化、形态和生态学特征等方面出现了重大的分异。具有长尾骨骼的原始基干鸟类热河鸟和驰龙类具有的相似性 ,进一步支持了鸟类起源于恐龙的学说。中国发现的早白垩世的鸟类以及树栖的恐龙化石还为鸟类飞行的树栖起源假说提供了十分重要的证据。“恐龙下树”的假说结合了鸟类起源于恐龙的学说和鸟类飞行的树栖起源学说 ,因此也得到了化石证据的支持。由于多种恐龙带有羽毛 ,因此羽毛不一定代表了恒温。恒温的鸟类可能到了早白垩世的进步鸟类中才开始出现     

Mesozoic birds of China—a synoptic review

A synoptic review of the discoveries and studies of Chinese Mesozoic birds is provided in this paper. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of several bird-bearing deposits in the Jehol Group has established a geochronological framework for the study of the early avian radiation. Chinese Mesozoic birds had lasted for at least 11 Ma during about 131 Ma and 120 Ma (Barremian to Aptian) of the middle and late Early Cretaceous, respectively. In order to further evaluate the change of the avian diversity in the Jehol Biota, six new orders and families are erected based on known genera and species, which brings the total number of orders of Chinese Mesozoic birds to 15 and highlights a remarkable radiation ever since the first appearance of birds in the Late Jurassic. Chinese Early Cretaceous birds had experienced a significant differentiation in morphology, flight, diet and habitat. Further examination of the foot of Jeholornis suggests this bird might not have possessed a fully reversed hallux. However, the attachment of metatarsal I to the medial side of metatarsal II does not preclude trunk climbing, a pre-adaptation for well developed perching life of early birds. Arboreality had proved to be a key adaptation in the origin and early evolution of bird flight, and the adaptation to lakeshore environment had played an equally important role in the origin of ornithurine birds and their near-modern flight skill. Many Chinese Early Cretaceous birds had preserved the direct evidence of their diet, showing that the most primitive birds were probably mainly insectivorous and that specialized herbivorous or carnivorous (e.g., piscivorous) dietary adaptation had appeared only in later advanced forms. The only known Early Cretaceous bird embryo fossil has shown that precocial birds had occurred prior to altricial birds in avian history, and the size of the embryo and other analysis indicate it probably had a short incubation period. Leg feathers probably have a wide range of distribution in early birds, further suggesting that leg feathers had played a key role in the beginning stage of the flight of birds. Finally, the Early Cretaceous avian radiation can be better understood against the background of their unique ecosystem. The advantage of birds in the competitions with other vertebrate groups such as pterosaurs had probably not only resulted in the rapid differentiation and radiation of birds but also the worldwide spreading of pterosaurs and other vertebrates from East Asia in the Early Cretaceous. Selected from Vertebrata PalAsiatica 2006, 44 (1): 74–98