Confuciusornis
Period of life:
125-120 mya
Period:
Habitat:
Mixed and broadleaf forests
Taxonomy:
Birds
Height:
0.1 m
Countries:
Confuciusornis ("Confucius bird" from Latin) is a primitive extinct birds species of the Early Cretaceous period, inhabited China 120 million years ago.
Flying creature fossils were purchased by a young paleontologist Zhang He in 1993, in Sihetun. It soon became clear that sellers were illegally trading this valuable exhibit.
Crow sized Confuciusornis had a toothless beak like most modern-day birds. Presumably, loss of teeth occurred in the process of evolution since close birds ancestors - Ichthyornis and Hesperornis - had them. The bird lost its long tail; instead, it had a scanty pygostyle, a complete tail vertebrae fusion. Confuciusornis was covered with feathered plumage. The oldest birds specimen fed on insects and plants.
Other animals
INTERESTING FACTS
PUZZLES
HOME
3D MODEL "SKIN"
3D MODEL "MUSCLES"
3D MODEL "SKELETON"
VISION
NEIGHBORS
VOICE ACTING
AR - MODE
GALLERY
HISTORY OF DISCOVERIES
