Using Polar Section Modulus to Define Avian Lifestyles

In shallow marine fossil deposits of latest Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) age, avian fossils are few. The avian fossils recovered almost exclusively exhibit a foot-propelled diving lifestyle. Other lifestyles, such as running, soaring, or flapping, are not yet represented. Latest Cretaceous avian fossi...

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Main Author: Deckhut, Joseph Tyler
Format: Text
Language:unknown
Published: EWU Digital Commons 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2024/ps_2024/p1_2024/8
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spelling fteasuwashington:oai:dc.ewu.edu:srcw_2024-1036 2024-05-19T07:29:00+00:00 Using Polar Section Modulus to Define Avian Lifestyles Deckhut, Joseph Tyler 2024-05-08T16:00:00Z https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2024/ps_2024/p1_2024/8 unknown EWU Digital Commons https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2024/ps_2024/p1_2024/8 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ 2024 Symposium Antarctica Antarcticavis capelambensis Avian Cretaceous Femora Humeri Maastrichtian Modulus Niche Polar Section Biology Evolution Geology Ornithology Paleobiology Paleontology text 2024 fteasuwashington 2024-05-01T00:07:33Z In shallow marine fossil deposits of latest Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) age, avian fossils are few. The avian fossils recovered almost exclusively exhibit a foot-propelled diving lifestyle. Other lifestyles, such as running, soaring, or flapping, are not yet represented. Latest Cretaceous avian fossils that show a foot-propelled diving lifestyle include Vegavis iaai and Polarornis gregorii from Antarctica, Neogaeornis wetzeli from Chile, and a grebe-like tarsometatarsus (fusion of tarsals and metatarsals) from New Jersey. One would expect that avian fossils from shallow marine deposit would include a mix of shore birds, sea birds, and foot-propelled divers rather than only one of these lifestyle groups. Antarcticavis capelambensis is one fossil, discovered in Antarctica, that currently has an unknown niche. Determining the lifestyle of this species will provide greater insight as to what lifestyles were present within Neornithes during the Maastrichtian. To find this lifestyle, this study compares the Antarcticavis bones with the bones of birds that represent different lifestyles, such as the local ducks, and ground birds like chicken and quail. Through the use of a polar section, modulus, calculations from measurements of modern and fossil avian humeri and femora, it is possible to predict lifestyles based on the bendability of these bones. Antarcticavis did not fall close to any of the lifestyles that were plotted from a previous study, so new representatives of unplotted lifestyles are being added to the dataset. New data increases the probability of finding the niche of Antarcticavis, as well as progressing our understanding of avian evolution and survival. Text Antarc* Antarctica Eastern Washington University: EWU Digital Commons
institution Open Polar
collection Eastern Washington University: EWU Digital Commons
op_collection_id fteasuwashington
language unknown
topic Antarctica
Antarcticavis capelambensis
Avian
Cretaceous
Femora
Humeri
Maastrichtian
Modulus
Niche
Polar Section
Biology
Evolution
Geology
Ornithology
Paleobiology
Paleontology
spellingShingle Antarctica
Antarcticavis capelambensis
Avian
Cretaceous
Femora
Humeri
Maastrichtian
Modulus
Niche
Polar Section
Biology
Evolution
Geology
Ornithology
Paleobiology
Paleontology
Deckhut, Joseph Tyler
Using Polar Section Modulus to Define Avian Lifestyles
topic_facet Antarctica
Antarcticavis capelambensis
Avian
Cretaceous
Femora
Humeri
Maastrichtian
Modulus
Niche
Polar Section
Biology
Evolution
Geology
Ornithology
Paleobiology
Paleontology
description In shallow marine fossil deposits of latest Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) age, avian fossils are few. The avian fossils recovered almost exclusively exhibit a foot-propelled diving lifestyle. Other lifestyles, such as running, soaring, or flapping, are not yet represented. Latest Cretaceous avian fossils that show a foot-propelled diving lifestyle include Vegavis iaai and Polarornis gregorii from Antarctica, Neogaeornis wetzeli from Chile, and a grebe-like tarsometatarsus (fusion of tarsals and metatarsals) from New Jersey. One would expect that avian fossils from shallow marine deposit would include a mix of shore birds, sea birds, and foot-propelled divers rather than only one of these lifestyle groups. Antarcticavis capelambensis is one fossil, discovered in Antarctica, that currently has an unknown niche. Determining the lifestyle of this species will provide greater insight as to what lifestyles were present within Neornithes during the Maastrichtian. To find this lifestyle, this study compares the Antarcticavis bones with the bones of birds that represent different lifestyles, such as the local ducks, and ground birds like chicken and quail. Through the use of a polar section, modulus, calculations from measurements of modern and fossil avian humeri and femora, it is possible to predict lifestyles based on the bendability of these bones. Antarcticavis did not fall close to any of the lifestyles that were plotted from a previous study, so new representatives of unplotted lifestyles are being added to the dataset. New data increases the probability of finding the niche of Antarcticavis, as well as progressing our understanding of avian evolution and survival.
format Text
author Deckhut, Joseph Tyler
author_facet Deckhut, Joseph Tyler
author_sort Deckhut, Joseph Tyler
title Using Polar Section Modulus to Define Avian Lifestyles
title_short Using Polar Section Modulus to Define Avian Lifestyles
title_full Using Polar Section Modulus to Define Avian Lifestyles
title_fullStr Using Polar Section Modulus to Define Avian Lifestyles
title_full_unstemmed Using Polar Section Modulus to Define Avian Lifestyles
title_sort using polar section modulus to define avian lifestyles
publisher EWU Digital Commons
publishDate 2024
url https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2024/ps_2024/p1_2024/8
genre Antarc*
Antarctica
genre_facet Antarc*
Antarctica
op_source 2024 Symposium
op_relation https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2024/ps_2024/p1_2024/8
op_rights http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
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