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。     

对长趾辽宁鸟的重新认识(英文)

早期发现于中国东北热河群的今鸟类化石多呈高度零散保存,本文对于惟一已知的长趾辽宁鸟( Liaoningornis longidigitrus) 标本的研究表明,该分类单元实际上是反鸟类的成员。虽然材料保存较差且破碎,但缺失发达的胸骨、胫骨脊和退化的脚爪,显示其应该被排除于更为进步的鸟胸类( ornithothoracines) 之外。辽宁鸟与所有已知的反鸟均有显著不同,但显示了与西班牙发现的 Eoalulavis hoyasi 的相似性: 它们相似的胸骨特征表明二者可能存在较密切的关系,尽管与其他反鸟类的不同表明,这可能是个体发育造成的假相。由于辽宁鸟标本过于零碎,因此目前难以确定其在反鸟类系统发育中的位置。     

对长趾辽宁鸟的重新认识(英文)

早期发现于中国东北热河群的今鸟类化石多呈高度零散保存,本文对于惟一已知的长趾辽宁鸟( Liaoningornis longidigitrus) 标本的研究表明,该分类单元实际上是反鸟类的成员。虽然材料保存较差且破碎,但缺失发达的胸骨、胫骨脊和退化的脚爪,显示其应该被排除于更为进步的鸟胸类( ornithothoracines) 之外。辽宁鸟与所有已知的反鸟均有显著不同,但显示了与西班牙发现的 Eoalulavis hoyasi 的相似性: 它们相似的胸骨特征表明二者可能存在较密切的关系,尽管与其他反鸟类的不同表明,这可能是个体发育造成的假相。由于辽宁鸟标本过于零碎,因此目前难以确定其在反鸟类系统发育中的位置。     

辽宁早白垩世今鸟类一新属种(Jianchangornis microdonta gen.et sp.nov.)(英文)

依据一近完整的相关节的骨骼化石,记述了辽宁建昌早白垩世九佛堂组原始今鸟类一新属种:小齿建昌鸟(Jianchangornis microdonta gen.et sp.nov.)。新鸟个体较大,但从骨化程度分析,正型标本可能属于一亚成年个体。具有一些进步特征,如胸骨及龙骨突加长,乌喙骨具有发育的前乌喙突以及和肩胛骨关联的关节窝,叉骨"U"字型,愈合荐椎包括9-10枚荐椎,尾综骨短小,第二、三掌骨远端愈合,跗跖骨完全愈合等,表明新属无疑属于今鸟类。在以下特征组合上很容易和已知的早白垩世今鸟类化石相区别:齿骨上至少有16枚细小牙齿,从齿骨前端向后沿齿骨大部密集排列;肩胛骨强烈弯曲;第一掌骨粗壮,较其他掌骨宽;第一指长并且远端延伸明显超过第二掌骨;肱骨+尺骨+第二掌骨与股骨+胫跗骨+跗跖骨的长度比例约为1.1。系统发育分析表明新属属于基干的今鸟类。新发现的材料第二、三掌骨远端愈合很好,但近端却未完全愈合,这一特征尚未见于其他已知鸟类,或许表明今鸟类腕掌骨的愈合和现生鸟类的跗跖骨一样是从远端开始的,不同于反鸟类和其他基干鸟类。建昌鸟的下颌还保存了一个前齿骨,这是继早白垩世红山鸟之后的另一例报道,可能进一步表明这一结构在今鸟类中曾普遍出现。新鸟肩带、胸骨和前肢的特征显示了和现代鸟类相近的飞行能力,其后肢、脚趾的比例以及趾爪的形态等显示和燕鸟、义县鸟等相似的地栖特征。保存于标本上的鱼类残骸可能显示了建昌鸟食鱼类的习性。今鸟类新属种的发现进一步表明,早白垩世这一进步鸟类类群的分化已不亚于反鸟类,湖滨环境在今鸟类的早期演化中确实扮演了重要的角色。     

荒漠麻蜥骨骼系统的解剖及与相近科属蜥蜴骨骼特征比较

采用透明骨骼染色法,观测了荒漠麻蜥Eremias przewaskii比较完整的骨骼系统,对其各部分骨骼组成、形态和位置作了详细的描述,为麻蜥属的分类及演化提供骨骼方面的基础资料。其骨骼可分为中轴骨骼(包括头骨、脊柱、胸骨和肋骨)和附肢骨骼(包括肩带、腰带、前肢骨和后肢骨)。其头骨呈三角形,眼窝与颞窝相通,不完整。颈椎8枚,胸椎5枚,腰椎13枚,荐椎2枚,尾椎44～45枚。与已报道的蜥蜴物种骨骼特征相比较,发现其前肢腕骨部位、尺骨和桡骨远端中间具1枚骨化不完全的籽骨——介间骨;在前肢腕骨与掌骨的腹面,有2块平面不规整四方形的掌籽骨,位于连接腕骨与各掌骨的韧带中间;在后肢股骨远端的关节内侧与髌骨相对的位置存在1粒籽骨,为股腓侧豆状骨;跗骨腹面下方有1枚三角形籽骨——跗籽骨。     

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。     

无蹼壁虎的骨骼系统

骨骼特征在动物的分类和系统进化研究中具有重要的作用。利用透明骨骼双色法对采自河南省洛阳市的无蹼壁虎Gekko swinhonis制作骨骼标本,对骨骼系统各部分骨骼的位置、形状和构成进行了详细描述,并与大壁虎G.gecko、多疣壁虎G.japonicus和原尾蜥虎Hemidactylus bowringii等进行了比较。无蹼壁虎的骨骼系统分为中轴骨骼(头骨、脊柱、胸骨、肋骨)和附肢骨骼(肩带、腰带、前肢骨和后肢骨)。与壁虎科其他物种相比,无蹼壁虎没有泪骨;前颌骨鼻突短小;鼻骨略呈长方形;后额骨呈"人"字形;前肢肱骨和尺骨关节的韧带内具有1枚肘骨;后肢股骨与胫骨关节的韧带内具有1枚髌骨;股骨与胫骨、腓骨关节的关节内具有2枚腓肠关节籽骨;雄性个体肛门后具有1对肛后骨;趾式为2、3、4、5、4。     

河北围场下白垩统围场皇家螈(Regalerpeton weichangensis)(两栖类:有尾类)的再研究（英文）

围场皇家螈(Regalerpeton weichangensis)于2009年基于一件产自河北围场下白垩统不完整的骨骼印痕标本命名。然而由于标本变形导致皇家螈的部分解剖学特征被曲解,系统发育位置也存在争论。本文基于8件新标本对该蝾螈的鉴定特征和系统发育位置进行了修订。研究显示,皇家螈是一种腕骨和跗骨骨化的幼态持续型蝾螈,具有独特的特征组合,包括犁骨齿列横向排列、副蝶骨前端呈齿状、基鳃骨II呈三射型,尾长超过吻臀距以及肩胛乌喙骨的乌喙端呈矩形。新的系统发育分析根据三个近裔共性将围场皇家螈、热河螈和胖螈归入蝾螈亚目。此外,它们还与隐鳃鲵亚目共有"肋骨单关节头"这一特征,显示这三种蝾螈可能代表了隐鳃鲵亚目与蝾螈亚目分离时期这一重要演化阶段。     

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.     

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。     

Morphological and geochemical evidence of eumelanin preservation in the feathers of the Early Cretaceous bird, Gansus yumenensis

Recent studies have shown evidence for the preservation of colour in fossilized soft tissues by imaging melanosomes, melanin pigment containing organelles. This study combines geochemical analyses with morphological observations to investigate the preservation of melanosomes and melanin within feathers of the Early Cretaceous bird, Gansus yumenensis. Scanning electron microscopy reveals structures concordant with those previously identified as eumelanosomes within visually dark areas of the feathers but not in lighter areas or sedimentary matrices. Fourier transform infrared analyses show different spectra for the feathers and their matrices; melanic functional groups appear in the feather including carboxylic acid and ketone groups that are not seen in the matrix. When mapped, the carboxylic acid group absorption faithfully replicates the visually dark areas of the feathers. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy of one specimen demonstrates the presence of organic signals but proved too insensitive to resolve melanin. Pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry shows a similar distribution of aliphatic material within both feathers that are different from those of their respective matrices. In combination, these techniques strongly suggest that not only do the feathers contain endogenous organic material, but that both geochemical and morphological evidence supports the preservation of original eumelanic pigment residue.     

Synchrotron microtomography-based osteohistology of Gansus yumenensis: new data on the evolution of uninterrupted bone deposition in basal birds

Many studies of the limb bones from birds of the major clades reveal a mosaic evolution in morphological characters. From this, we assume that uninterrupted compact bone evolved independently multiple times outside of the crown group. We hypothesise that there are key intraskeletal changes in the osteohistological features, such as the organisation of the vascular network. To test these hypotheses, we analysed and described the osteohistological features of five different midshaft samples of Gansus yumenensis, a non-ornithurine Euornithes from China, based on virtual models obtained from synchrotron microtomography scans, a less invasive method that the traditional physical cross section. We performed quantitative analyses with volume, surface area and estimated ratios. The osteohistological features of Gansus yumenensis were compared with those of stem and crown birds. From our analyses, we discuss the pros/cons of using synchrotron microtomography scans compared to traditional physical cross section. Our analyses demonstrate that Gansus yumenensis is the fourth described extinct Euornithes to exhibit uninterrupted bone deposition in all bone samples, providing further support for multiple origins of this feature outside of the bird crown group. Finally, our osteohistological investigation of Gansus yumenensis provides future study avenues regarding the evolution and development of bone tissue in fossil birds.     

Locomotory abilities and habitat of the Cretaceous bird Gansus yumenensis inferred from limb length proportions

The relative length proportions of the three bony elements of the pelvic (femur, tibiotarsus and tarsometatarsus) and pectoral (humerus, ulna and manus) limbs of the early Cretaceous bird Gansus yumenensis, a well‐represented basal ornithuromorph from China, are investigated and compared to those of extant taxa. Ternary plots show that the pectoral limb length proportions of Gansus are most similar to Apodiformes (swifts and hummingbirds), which plot away from all other extant birds. In contrast, the pelvic limb length proportions of Gansus fall within the extant bird cluster and show similarities with the neornithine families Podicipedidae (grebes), Diomedeidae (albatross) and Phalacrocoracidae (cormorants). Although it does have some of the pelvic limb features of grebes and cormorants, the femur of Gansus is more gracile and is thus more consistent with an albatross‐like shallow‐diving mode of life than a strong foot‐propelled diving movement pattern. The position of Gansus in pectoral limb ternary morphospace is largely due to its elongated manus. In contrast to apodiformes, where the humerus and ulna are short and robust, an adaptation, which provides a stiff wing for their demanding fast agile and hovering flight (respectively), the wing‐bones of Gansus are slender, indicating a less vigorous flapping flight style. The suite of characters exhibited by Gansus mean it is difficult to completely interpret its likely ecology. Nevertheless, our analyses suggest that it is probable that this bird was both volant and capable of diving to some degree using either foot‐propelled or, perhaps, both its wings and its feet for underwater locomotion.     

The furcula and the evolution of avian flight

The presence of a short furcula in Archaeopteryx suggests that this bird possessed a small, shortfibered, cranial portion of the pinnate m. pectoralis originating from the furcula and possibly from the aponeurosis between the furcula and the coracoid and cartilaginous sternum, and inserting on the cranial edge of the humerus, and an equally small, short-fibered pinnate caudal part of the same muscle arising from the presumably cartilaginous sternum and inserting on the ventral surface of the deltoid crest of the humerus. In Archaeopteryx, the cranial-most portion of the m. pectoralis protracted the wing and held it in place against the backward pressure, or drag, of the air when the bird flew. There is no basis for postulating that the caudal part of the m. pectoralis in Archaeopteryx was sufficiently large for active flapping flight, although this presumably small muscle probably held the wings in a horizontal position necessary for aerial locomotion. The muscle fibers of all parts of the m. pectoralis were short because the small distance between its origin and insertion. The combination of features in the pectoral system of Archaeopteryx indicates strongly that this bird was a specialized glider, not an active flapping flier. Avian flight started from the trees downward, not from the ground upward.     

山东临朐雉类化石的新材料

本文记述了山东临朐山旺组中出产的几件鸟类化石的新材料。从标本保存的骨骼特征看,这些化石应属一个个体,且与山旺组中先前出产的雉科鸟类——山旺山东鸟(shandongornis shanwanensis Yeh)近似,但又不完全一样,被鉴定为似山旺山东鸟(Shandongornis cf. shanwanensis Yeh).     

Core temperature variability in diving king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus): a preliminary analysis

Core temperature was determined in two king penguins living in the wild at Ile de la Possession, Crozel Archipelago, using implantable four-channel temperature loggers. Core temperatures derived from bird no. 1 (sensor placed under the sternum, in the vicinity of the liver and upper stomach) were closely correlated with diving activity (as determined by an external light recorder), and ranged from 38.3°C, (on land) to a minimum of 37.2°C during a dive. Core temperatures measured in bird no. 2 showed that temperatures near the heart were generally 1°C lower than those under the sternum or in the lower abdomen. Core temperatures declined continuously during dives (by 0.8, 1.2 and 2.7°C in the lower abdomen, under the sternum and near the heart, respectively) and showed precipitous drops to 35°C, probably associated with ingestion of food. Temperatures measured near the heart fluctuated over a period of 288 s, corresponding to the duration (from the literature) of the surface/dive cycle. The relevance of these findings with respect to diving physiology, blood perfusion of tissues, tissue metabolism and aerobic dive limits is discussed.