The origin and early evolution of birds: discoveries, disputes, and perspectives from fossil evidence

@article{Zhou2004TheOA,
  title={The origin and early evolution of birds: discoveries, disputes, and perspectives from fossil evidence},
  author={Zhonghe Zhou},
  journal={Naturwissenschaften},
  year={2004},
  volume={91},
  pages={455-471}
}
  • Zhonghe Zhou
  • Published 8 September 2004
  • Biology, Medicine
  • Naturwissenschaften
The study of the origin and early evolution of birds has never produced as much excitement and public attention as in the past decade. Well preserved and abundant new fossils of birds and dinosaurs have provided unprecedented new evidence on the dinosaurian origin of birds, the arboreal origin of avian flight, and the origin of feathers prior to flapping flight. The Mesozoic avian assemblage mainly comprises two major lineages: the prevalent extinct group Enantiornithes, and the Ornithurae… 
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