Gansus
The Gansus form one of birds of the Cretaceous now extinct. They are oldest Neornithes known and their fossils were gone back to 140 My.
Description
They are size of a pigeon and resemble ducks or dives. They were found close to a lake what suggests that they were dulçaquicoles. They have the legs webbed its legs carry the mark of the muscular fasteners specific to the birds which are propelled on water with their legs. They had feathers and could doubtless fly. Its nozzle had the form of those of current ducks.
History of the birds
See also: History of the birds
The found specimens are very interesting because they show antiquated and modern features. They are not line of the Ichthyornithes nor Hesperornithes . The fact that the Gansus was a watery species suggests that if the modern birds evolved/moved starting from close species, they all could derive from water birds.
Discovered
5 specimens were discovered in 1981 in the Province of Gansu in China. One did not know beforehand the existence of such birds that by these prints of legs. Excavations in 2003 and 2004 made it possible to update some 50 new specimens a priori of the same species and of which some practically complete. ----Category: Prehistoric bird
| Random links: | Saint-Michel-on-Savasse | Quenast | FOR THE THIRD TIME Franche-Comté | Temera hardwickii | Second war of opium | Liste_de_municipalités_de_la_Suède_par_secteur |