A field guide to mesozoic birds and other winged dinosaurs
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A field guide to mesozoic birds and other winged dinosaurs

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19.07.2019 Views

Dement’yev’s Vacillating Beginning Ambiortus dementjevi Time: 125 Ma ago Location: Bayankhongor, Mongolia Habitat: Andaikhudag Formation Size: WS unknown; BL ~25cm (in); TL unknown Features: Known from a fragmentary skeleton, distinguished by internal anatomy including slender shoulder blades & arrangement of ligament attachments on the humerus. Biology: Long, vaned primaries indicate flight capability. Generally very primitive, may be similar to yanornithiformes/ancestral carinatans. Ukhaan Apsara Bird Apsaravis ukhaana Time: 75 Ma ago Location: Omnogovi, Mongolia Habitat: Ukhaa Tolgod, Djadochta Formation. Size: WS >30cm (1ft); BL ~18cm (7in); TL unknown Features: Head small but snout unknown. Wings moderately long (ulna & manus ~ half torso length) w/ advanced flight mechanism (causing hand to automatically extend during the flight stroke). Wing claws absent. Legs very long with long tarsus (over twice toe length). Toes relatively stout with large but weakly curved claws. Biology: Wide range of motion in toe joints usually found in species adapted to running or swimming. Desert ecosystem in which these lived would have been largely devoid of water during some parts of the year. Unlike most other Mesozoic euornitheans, which largely occupied marine or shoreline environments, Apsaravis appear to have become re-adapted to a ground-running, desert lifestyle. May have hunted lizards & other small vertebrates during dry seasons. Possibly close relatives of Ambiortus and Palintropus. Shining Holland Bird Hollanda luceria Time: 72 Ma ago Location: Omnogovi, Mongolia Habitat: Hermin Tsav, Barun Goyot Formation. High desert. Dune fields prone to periodic flooding and arid scrublands. Size: WS unknown; BL ~50cm (in); TL unkown Features: Known only from hind limbs. Legs very long w/ long, slender & fused tarsus. Toes strong & robust. Biology: Anatomical comparisons using the legs & proportions of the toe bones indicate that these were specialized ground foragers, probably chasing fast-moving prey similar to modern roadrunners. Probably retained teeth in the rear of the jaws as in most other non-avian euornitheans. 156

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