Science Daily: Sex of Early Birds Suggests Dinosaur Reproductive Style: New
Way to Identify GENDER of Ancient Avian Species
Anusuya Chinsamy, Luis M. Chiappe, Jesús Marugán-Lobón, Gao Chunling, Zhang
Fengjiao. GENDER identification of the Mesozoic bird Confuciusornis
sanctus. Nature Communications, 2013; 4: 1381 DOI:10.1038/ncomms2377
"...Chiappe and the team studied hundreds of Confuciusornis fossils
unearthed from rocks deposited at the bottom of ancient lakes in what is
today northeastern China and found undisputed evidence of the GENDER
difference: medullary bone..."
"...According to Chinsamy, the bone histologist on the team, "Just like
modern hens, female Confuciusornis birds that lived 125 million years ago
deposited this special bone inside their long bones, and then used it to
make the calcium-rich eggshells." Finding such tissue -- present during a
short period of time in reproductively active females -- in a specimen that
lacked long feathers proved that those birds without ornamental plumage are
females.
"This now permits us to assess GENDER differences in growth and development
of this Mesozoic bird," she said...."
[PIC: Reconstruction of Confuciusornis sanctus.]
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130122111654.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Fplants_animals%2Fbirds+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Plants+%26+Animals+News+--+Birds%29
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