By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    Egypt's Emigration Minister meets with founding board of Egyptians Abroad for Investment Company
    Egypt’s Emigration Minister meets with founding board of Egyptians Abroad for Investment Company
    September 21, 2023
    ABB allocates €13bn for green transformation by 2030
    ABB allocates €13bn for green transformation by 2030
    September 21, 2023
    DMZ Cairo Demo Day 2023 showcases Egypt's top tech startups
    DMZ Cairo Demo Day 2023 showcases Egypt’s top tech startups
    September 21, 2023
    Valu partners with Le Marche, Electrotech to offer payment solutions for furniture, electronics Expo
    Valu partners with Le Marche, Electrotech to offer payment solutions for furniture, electronics Expo
    September 21, 2023
    Egypt, KOICA sign $8m agreement to enhance educational capacity of Beni-Suef Technological University
    Egypt, KOICA sign $8m agreement to enhance educational capacity of Beni-Suef Technological University
    September 21, 2023
  • Politics
    PoliticsShow More
    Egyptian Health Minister highlights country's interest in local drug manufacturing
    Egyptian Health Minister highlights country’s interest in local drug manufacturing
    September 21, 2023
    Egypt leads meeting to urge global support for Sudan’s humanitarian crisis
    Egypt leads meeting to urge global support for Sudan’s humanitarian crisis
    September 20, 2023
    Egypt and EU co-chair GCTF meeting, reaffirm commitment to fighting terrorism
    Egypt and EU co-chair GCTF meeting, reaffirm commitment to fighting terrorism
    September 20, 2023
    Children dying in Sudan amid healthcare system collapse
    Children dying in Sudan amid healthcare system collapse
    September 20, 2023
    Egypt to announce presidential election timetable on Monday
    Egypt to announce presidential election timetable on Monday
    September 20, 2023
  • Interviews
    InterviewsShow More
    Microsoft Egypt aims to provide advanced AI models, build solid AI ecosystem: Mirna Arif
    Microsoft Egypt aims to provide advanced AI models, build solid AI ecosystem: Mirna Arif
    September 18, 2023
    I love privacy, and I am not concerned about competition: Yasmine Sabry
    I love privacy, and I am not concerned about competition: Yasmine Sabry
    September 14, 2023
    Sustainability, digital transformation at the heart of our strategy: Heidelberg Materials Egypt
    Sustainability, digital transformation at the heart of our strategy: Heidelberg Materials Egypt
    September 12, 2023
    India welcomes Egypt's BRICS membership: Boosting trade, investment, and access to strategic commodities
    India welcomes Egypt’s BRICS membership: Boosting trade, investment, and access to strategic commodities
    September 11, 2023
    The box office is not a measure of success: Basma Hassan
    The box office is not a measure of success: Basma
    September 6, 2023
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Reading: Rare Cretaceous-age fossil reveals secrets of bird evolution
Share
Notification
Latest News
Egypt's Emigration Minister meets with founding board of Egyptians Abroad for Investment Company
Egypt’s Emigration Minister meets with founding board of Egyptians Abroad for Investment Company
Business
ABB allocates €13bn for green transformation by 2030
ABB allocates €13bn for green transformation by 2030
Business
DMZ Cairo Demo Day 2023 showcases Egypt's top tech startups
DMZ Cairo Demo Day 2023 showcases Egypt’s top tech startups
Business
Valu partners with Le Marche, Electrotech to offer payment solutions for furniture, electronics Expo
Valu partners with Le Marche, Electrotech to offer payment solutions for furniture, electronics Expo
Business
Egypt, KOICA sign $8m agreement to enhance educational capacity of Beni-Suef Technological University
Egypt, KOICA sign $8m agreement to enhance educational capacity of Beni-Suef Technological University
Business
Aa
Aa
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Advertise
© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.
Dailynewsegypt > Blog > Science > Rare Cretaceous-age fossil reveals secrets of bird evolution
Science

Rare Cretaceous-age fossil reveals secrets of bird evolution

Mohammed El-Said
Last updated: 2020/12/01 at 10:03 PM
By Mohammed El-Said 3 Min Read
Share
SHARE

In the mid-19th Century, Charles Darwin’s sharp observations on the variety of beak shapes among finches on the Galapagos Islands inspired his development of the evolution through natural selection theory. 

A new bird fossil, discovered in what is now north-western Madagascar, provides new insights into our understanding of the evolution of birds. 

The fossil represents a bird species named Falcatakely, a combination of Latin and Malagasy words inspired by the small size and the scythe-like shape of the bird’s beak. It was described by anatomist Patrick O’Connor, of the Ohio University, and his colleagues in a 25 November report published in the leading science journal, Nature.

The most intriguing feature of the new species, which lived in the Late Cretaceous era around 70 to 68 million years ago, is the upper part of its face. Unlike any known bird from the age of dinosaurs, it had a tall, long beak, with the Falcatakely’s beak describing a unique face shape among Mesozoic birds. 

“Falcatakely might resemble any number of modern birds with the skin and beak in place. However, it is the underlying skeletal structure of the face that turns what we know about Mesozoic bird anatomy upside-down,” O’Connor says. 

Despite an overall face shape similar to modern birds like toucans, the underlying skeleton is much more similar to nonavian theropod dinosaurs, such as the Deinonychus and Velociraptor. 

The study’s authors believe that different developmental patterns of the facial skeleton can lead to a generally similar overall face shape in very different bird groups. However, it did so by modification of different facial bones in the two groups.

To compare the shape of Falcatakely’s face to other enantiornithine birds from the Cretaceous Period, as well as modern birds, the team used cutting-edge technologies. This included microCT scanning, digital reconstruction, and rapid 3D printing, according to anatomist Alan H. Turner, of Stony Brook University and the study’s co-author. 

The application of these technologies was critical to visualising the anatomy of this new species.

“With this anatomical data in hand we used detailed comparisons to other Mesozoic dinosaurs and birds, to build a very large dataset of morphological features,” Turner said.

Paleontologist Holly Woodward, of Oklahoma State University adds, “For me, these results are especially surprising and exciting, because it demonstrates that evolutionarily, the same “problem” was solved two different ways.” 

She notes that the enantiornithines species (extinct avialans) retained more dinosaur-like skull configurations, while modern birds diverged from that configuration. Both groups, however, were capable of evolving similarly-shaped skulls and enlarged beaks.

You Might Also Like

Can we get better at predicting earthquakes?

Morocco earthquake wasn’t unexpected – building codes must plan for them

What caused Morocco’s earthquake? A geologist studying the Atlas mountains explains

Climate change aggravates water stress in MENA region 

India plans to launch 1st solar mission in August

TAGGED: bird evolution, Cretaceous-age, fossil
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
By Mohammed El-Said
Mohammed El-Said is the Science Editor for the Daily News Egypt with over 8 years of experience as a journalist. His work appeared in the Science Magazine, Nature Middle East, Scientific American Arabic Edition, SciDev and other regional and international media outlets. El-Said graduated with a bachelor's degree and MSc in Human Geography, and he is a PhD candidate in Human Geography at Cairo University. He also had a diploma in media translation from the American University in Cairo.
Previous Article Oxford Business Group evaluates Africa’s private equity, VC industry amid COVID-19
Next Article Italy’s Eni has signed a series of agreements with Egypt, paving the way for the Damietta LNG plant to restart operation by the first quarter (Q1) of 2021, the company announced on Tuesday. Eni, EGAS partner to restart Damietta LNG plant in Q1 2021
Ad image
Ad image

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Instagram Follow
Youtube Subscribe

Latest News

Egypt's Emigration Minister meets with founding board of Egyptians Abroad for Investment Company
Egypt’s Emigration Minister meets with founding board of Egyptians Abroad for Investment Company
Business
ABB allocates €13bn for green transformation by 2030
ABB allocates €13bn for green transformation by 2030
Business
DMZ Cairo Demo Day 2023 showcases Egypt's top tech startups
DMZ Cairo Demo Day 2023 showcases Egypt’s top tech startups
Business
Valu partners with Le Marche, Electrotech to offer payment solutions for furniture, electronics Expo
Valu partners with Le Marche, Electrotech to offer payment solutions for furniture, electronics Expo
Business
//
Egypt’s only independent daily newspaper in English. Discuss the country’s latest with the paper’s reporters, editors, and other readers.

Quick Link

  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.

Join Us!

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news, podcasts etc..

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?