A 120-million-year-old fossil of the extinct bird Jeholornis, discovered in northeastern China, offers the earliest known evidence of birds consuming leaves, highlighting the initial phase of tree-based plant-eating among avian species.
The bird Jeholornis, which was the size of a pheasant and belonged to the second most primitive group of known birds, had teeth and a lengthy bony tail like its feathered predatory dinosaur relatives. However, detailed microscopic analysis of the fossilized remains in its stomach revealed that it had a vegetarian diet, specifically eating leaves from the magnoliid group of flowering plants, such as magnolia, cinnamon, and avocado trees.
The study, released in Nature Communications on July 28, was led by researchers from China’s Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) and their associates. They examined the fossilized stomach area, attempting to find phytoliths, rigid microscopic structures made of silicon dioxide by plants. They found hundreds of these phytoliths, many of which were identified as coming from magnoliid leaves.
While birds today commonly interact with flowering plants by pollinating, eating fruits, and dispersing seeds, the historical data concerning the origins of these relationships is scarce. This new discovery helps shed light on the diets of early birds, revealing evidence of plant consumption, including fossilized fruit and seeds found in other Jeholornis fossils.
The research findings also support the concept of leaf-eating in ancient birds. Comparisons of the Jeholornis’s jaw with living plant-eating birds, and statistical analysis of its shape, show resemblances to modern species that primarily consume plants, like the hoatzin from South America’s tropical forests.
The correlation between flowering plants and birds’ diversity is well-recognized today, as birds often rely on nectar and various plant parts for their energy, growth, and vibrant feather colors. This recent study emphasizes that this relationship has been ongoing for over 100 million years, with plant-based diets including fruits, seeds, and leaves being essential in bird evolution, even when birds still had features resembling their dinosaur ancestors.
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about fokus keyword: Jeholornis fossil
What does the 120-million-year-old fossil of Jeholornis reveal?
The fossil unveils the earliest known evidence of leaf-eating habits in birds. It demonstrates that the pheasant-sized Jeholornis, a member of a primitive lineage of birds, consumed leaves from magnoliid trees, such as magnolia, cinnamon, and avocado. Microscopic analysis of the stomach contents revealed phytoliths from these plants, providing insight into the ancient bird’s vegetarian diet.
Where was the Jeholornis fossil found?
The Jeholornis fossil was unearthed from northeastern China. It provides valuable insights into the early Cretaceous bird’s eating habits and its arboreal lifestyle.
What significance does the Jeholornis fossil have on understanding the evolution of birds?
The study of the Jeholornis fossil highlights the earliest evolution of arboreal plant-eating among birds. It indicates that birds switched from predatory behaviors to a vegetarian diet very early in their evolution, consuming fruits, seeds, and leaves of plants. This discovery also emphasizes the long-standing relationship between birds and flowering plants, dating back over 100 million years.
What did the researchers do to understand the Jeholornis’s diet?
The researchers conducted microscopic analyses of the fossilized stomach contents inside the bird skeleton to search for phytoliths, rigid microscopic structures made by plants. By comparing the recovered phytoliths with modern ones, they were able to identify that most came from the leaves of magnoliids, thereby confirming the leaf-eating habits of Jeholornis.
Who conducted the study on the Jeholornis fossil?
The study was conducted by researchers from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and their collaborators. It was published in Nature Communications on July 28.
What modern bird is similar to the extinct Jeholornis in terms of diet?
The jaw shape of Jeholornis shows similarities to the living leaf specialist, the hoatzin, from tropical forests in South America. This comparison helped support the hypothesis of leaf-eating in this early bird.
More about fokus keyword: Jeholornis fossil
- Nature Communications
- Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP)
- DOI for the specific study
