The Evolution of Feathers..
In the exhibition we attempt to show the intricacies and complex mechanics that make up the modern day flight feather. Explain how even Charles Darwin struggled to fit its compacted structure into his evolutionary theories. The feather needs preening, preening needs oil, the question is not chicken or egg but feather or preening gland one is useless without the other.
There are seven basic types of feather |
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Contour feathers consist of a vane with its inner and outer webs, and a supportive shaft. Feather barbs branch off the shaft, and barbules branch off the barbs. Barbules of adjacent barbs overlap one another. The ends of barbules are locked together with hooklike hamuli. Interlocking barbs keep contour feathers firm and smooth.
New findings changing ideas all the time. The fossil of a small, predatory dinosaur discovered in Germany has experts rethinking how feathers developed among the dinosaurs that likely gave rise to birds.
The small, long-tailed predator lived some 150 million years ago. Experts say the fossil represents the best example of a European dinosaur from this period. The fossil was discovered in limestone rock from Bavaria, in southern Germany.
The most primitive known feathered dinosaur is Sinosauropteryx, which lived 120 to 150 million years ago. The specimen includes sections of fossilized skin that shows no evidence of feathers, despite the fact that the dinosaur's Jurassic-age contemporaries from the same group were feathered.
Described by experts as a new species, Juravenator starki, belongs to a group of theropods—meat-eating, two-legged dinosaurs—that many scientists believe also gave rise to birds.
The authors say the new species undermines the notion that a covering of simple, hairlike feathers was characteristic of such early theropods as was previously believed.
Given the worldwide rarity of complete specimens of small theropods from the Jurassic, the exceptionally well-preserved skeleton of Juravenator is in itself a notable find. Most significantly the specimen preserves scaled skin around the tail and hind limbs.
The find will encourage a re-evaluation of feather evolution in dinosaurs,
The area where Juravenator was found is famous as the source of fossils of Archaeopteryx, the earliest known bird.
The new fossil is the best preserved predatory, nonavian dinosaur in Europe.
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Compsognathus |
Sinornithosaur |
Our Falconry Centre
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