Project 3685: L. Xing, J. K. O’Connor, L. Schmitz, L. M. Chiappe, R. C. McKellar, Q. Yi, G. Li. 2020. (RETRACTED) Hummingbird-sized dinosaur from the Cretaceous period of Myanmar. Nature. 579 (7798):245-249.
Specimen: † Archaeopteryx (unvouchered)
View: lateral

Abstract

The Article has been formally retracted by the authors: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2553-9

Skeletal inclusions in approximately 99-million-year-old amber from northern Myanmar provide unprecedented insights into the soft tissue and skeletal anatomy of minute fauna, which are not typically preserved in other depositional environments1,2,3. Among a diversity of vertebrates, seven specimens that preserve the skeletal remains of enantiornithine birds have previously been described1,4,5,6,7,8, all of which (including at least one seemingly mature specimen) are smaller than specimens recovered from lithic materials. Here we describe an exceptionally well-preserved and diminutive bird-like skull that documents a new species, which we name Oculudentavis khaungraae gen. et sp. nov. The find appears to represent the smallest known dinosaur of the Mesozoic era, rivalling the bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae)—the smallest living bird—in size. The O. khaungraae specimen preserves features that hint at miniaturization constraints, including a unique pattern of cranial fusion and an autapomorphic ocular morphology9 that resembles the eyes of lizards. The conically arranged scleral ossicles define a small pupil, indicative of diurnal activity. Miniaturization most commonly arises in isolated environments, and the diminutive size of Oculudentavis is therefore consistent with previous suggestions that this amber formed on an island within the Trans-Tethyan arc10. The size and morphology of this species suggest a previously unknown bauplan, and a previously undetected ecology. This discovery highlights the potential of amber deposits to reveal the lowest limits of vertebrate body size.



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Article DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2068-4

Project DOI: 10.7934/P3685, http://dx.doi.org/10.7934/P3685
This project containsMatrices
  • 1 Media
  • 1 Matrix
  • 2 Documents
  • 37 Taxa
  • 1 Specimen
  • 257 Characters
Total size of project's media files: 2.24M

Download Project SDD File
Total scored cells: 4968
Total media associated with cells: 0
Total labels associated with cell media: 0
Characters
Total characters: 257
Total characters with associated media: 0
Total characters with media with labels: 0
Total character states: 619
Total character states with associated media: 0
Total character states with media with labels:0
Total unordered/ordered characters:0/257
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MorphoBank Project 3685

    Authors' Institutions

    • Royal Saskatchewan Museum, Regina

    • Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP), CAS

    • Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

    • China University of Geosciences

    • CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment

    • Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences

    • Claremont Colleges

    • University of Regina



    Members

    member name taxa specimens media chars character
    media
    labels
    cell scorings
    (scored, NPA, "-")
    cell
    medialabels
    rules
    MorphoBank Curator
    Project Administrator
    3711257004968
    (4968, 0, 0)
    000
    Jingmai O’Connor
    Full membership
    0000000
    (0, 0, 0)
    000


    Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M26553' (37 Taxa)

    taxon unscored
    cells
    scored
    cells
    no cell
    support
    NPA
    cells
    "-" cellscell images labels on
    cell images
    member
    access
    [1] † Dromaeosauridae
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    1525124200002
    [2] † Archaeopteryx
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    5620120100002
    [3] † Jeholornis prima
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    10215915500002
    [4] † Sapeornis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    8317617400002
    [5] † Confuciusornis sanctus
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    3322722400002
    [6] † Changchengornis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    15110810600002
    [7] † Eoconfuciusornis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    13712312000002
    [8] † Oculudentavis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    226313100002
    [9] † Cathyaornis yandica
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    13113312600002
    [10] † Concornis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    1611009600002
    [11] † Elsornis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    182827500002
    [12] † Eoalulavis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    171868600002
    [13] † Eocathayornis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    192676500002
    [14] † Eoenantiornis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    1601049700002
    [15] † Gobipteryx n valifanovi
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    1581069900002
    [16] † Iberomesornis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    189746800002
    [17] † Longipteryx
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    10316115400002
    [18] † Longirostravis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    14811710900002
    [19] † Protopteryx
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    1611029600002
    [20] † Rapaxavis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    12014413700002
    [21] † Shanweiniao
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    179907800002
    [22] † Shenqiornis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    14512011200002
    [23] † Eopengornis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    13412612300002
    [24] † Pengornis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    13612912100002
    [25] † Enantiophoenix
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    229302800002
    [26] † Halimornis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    229292800002
    [27] † Neuquenornis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    189726800002
    [28] † Archaeorhynchus
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    13013512700002
    [29] † Apsaravis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    11015114700002
    [30] † Yanornis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    10116015600002
    [31] † Patagopteryx
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    10615215100002
    [32] † Gansus yumenensis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    8217717500002
    [33] † Longicrusavis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    11714414000002
    [34] † Ichthyornis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    3822221900002
    [35] † Hesperornis
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    7618118100002
    [36] Anas
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    824924900002
    [37] Gallus
    Last Modified in 03/31/20
    824924900002


    Project views

    type number of views Individual items viewed (where applicable)
    Total project views13445
    Project overview1316
    Matrix views681Morphological Matrix from Xing et al 2020 (prepared by MorphoBank curators from original submission) (89 views); Matrix landing page (592 views);
    Documents list584
    Bibliography491
    Media views2475Media search (2000 views); M687223 (475 views);
    Views for media list825
    Specimen list1312
    Taxon list5761




    Project downloads

    type number of downloads Individual items downloaded (where applicable)
    Total downloads from project131
    Matrix downloads9Morphological Matrix from Xing et al 2020 (prepared by MorphoBank curators from original submission) (9 downloads);
    Project downloads121
    Document downloads1Character list (1 download);