Fossil overturns more than a century of knowledge about the origin of modern birds (IMAGE)

University of Cambridge

Fossil overturns more than a century of knowledge about the origin of modern birds

Caption

Artist’s reconstruction of the last known toothed bird, Janavis finalidens, in its original environment surrounded by the co-occurring ‘wonderchicken’, Asteriornis. 66.7 million years ago parts of Belgium were covered by a shallow sea, and conditions were similar to modern tropical beaches in places like the Bahamas. Janavis was a very large marine bird, with long wings and teeth in its jaws. It would have hunted fish and squid-like creatures in the tropical sea.

Credit

Phillip Krzeminski

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Please credit to Phillip Krzeminski

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