New 150-Million-Year-Old Avialan Theropod Discovered in China
A groundbreaking discovery in China has provided new insights into the early evolution of birds and the Late Jurassic terrestrial ecosystem. Researchers from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Fujian Institute of Geological Survey (FIGS) have uncovered a remarkable 150-million-year-old avialan theropod called Fujianvenator prodigiosus.
The findings of this study, which have been published in Nature, shed light on a crucial period in bird evolution. While it is widely accepted that birds descended from theropod dinosaurs in the Late Jurassic, there has been a lack of diverse fossils from this era, making it challenging to understand the early evolution of avian ancestors.
The newly discovered avialan theropod fills an important gap in the fossil record, as it is one of the few Jurassic avialans found thus far. Previous avialan fossils have been limited to the Middle-Late Jurassic Yanliao Biota in northeast China and the German Solnhofen Limestones containing Archaeopteryx. This new discovery provides critical evidence for understanding the origin of birds and resolving the phylogenetic controversy surrounding their ancestry.
The research team analyzed the morphology of Fujianvenator prodigiosus and discovered a unique combination of characteristics shared with other avialans, troodontids, and dromaeosaurids. Dr. Min Wang, the lead author of the study from IVPP, explained that significant changes in body plan occurred along the early avialan line. However, Fujianvenator took a divergent evolutionary path with its peculiar hindlimb architecture, deviating from the typical bird limb proportion.
The elongated lower leg of Fujianvenator and other unusual features suggest that this avialan lived in a swamp-like environment and likely had a high-speed running or long-legged wading lifestyle. This ecological niche had not been previously identified in early avialans, making Fujianvenator’s discovery even more significant.
The geological context of the findings is also of great importance. The area where Fujianvenator was discovered, Zhenghe County in Fujian Province, experienced tectonic activities during the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous due to the subduction of the paleo-Pacific plate. This resulted in widespread magmatism and coeval fault-depression basins, similar to the geological conditions in north and northeastern China where the older Yanliao Biota was found.
The research team named the locality of this discovery the Zhenghe Fauna, which not only provides evidence of Fujianvenator but also boasts an abundance of other vertebrates such as teleosts, testudines, and choristoderes. The Zhenghe Fauna offers a unique glimpse into the Late Jurassic terrestrial ecosystem and adds an important piece to the puzzle of understanding the evolutionary history of birds.
This groundbreaking discovery marks a significant step forward in paleontological research, and the joint research team from IVPP and FIGS plan to continue their exploration of Zhenghe and nearby areas to uncover more insights into the ancient world.