Chinese ornithologists from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have recently announced a new fossil discovery from northeast China's Liaoning Province. It is believed to be one of the oldest birds ever found in China and named, in common words, the "ancient Rehe bird", according to an article on UK-based Nature magazine, July 25.
The greatest significance of the discovery lies in the fact that it provides, from a view of bird fossils, new evidence for the theory that birds are descended from dinosaurs. One of the distinctive features of "Rehe birds" is its long and thin tail with more than 20 caudal vertebrae, quite similar to that of dromaeosaurs. Besides, its second toes are very developed, more like that of mini-podal dinosaurs rather than birds.
Another significance is that the bird keeps seed fossils in its body, showing that it lived on seeds, being the first direct evidence of food in over thousand bird fossils found in China. What is interesting is that its teeth have degenerated but its upper and lower jaws are very strong, perhaps it is a necessary for eating seeds. Besides, most seeds in its body are kept complete, with comparatively fresh surfaces, showing that the bird may have a quite developed gizzard for storing and digesting food.
The fossil is collected from local farmers and carefully fixed together under microscope after a few months' efforts, expert said.
At a full length over 70 cm, the Rehe bird is the only parallel to the archaeopteryx, the most primitive avialae bird found in Germany in 1860. It carries more primitive features than the famous Confuciusornis and represents an older species in early bird evolutions.
( People's Daily July 27, 2002 )
