Evidence corroborates identity of isolated fossil feather as a wing covert of Archaeopteryx.

ABSTRACT: The historic fossil feather from the Jurassic Solnhofen has played a pivotal but controversial role in our evolutionary understanding of dinosaurs and birds. Recently, a study confirmed the diagnostic morphology of the feather's original calamus, but nonetheless challenged the proposed identity as an Archaeopteryx covert. However, there are errors in the results and interpretations presented. Here we show that the feather is most likely an upper major primary covert, based on its long calamus (23.3% total length) and eight other anatomical attributes. Critically, this hypothesis is independently supported by evidence of similar primary coverts in multiple specimens of Archaeopteryx-including from the same fossil site and horizon as the isolated feather. We also provide additional insights,

SUBMITTER: Carney RM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7528088 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature