中国科学院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所胡晗小组的一项最新研究探明了芝加哥始祖鸟告诉我们鸟的早期进化。该研究于2025年5月14日发表于国际一流学术期刊《自然》杂志上。

在这里，课题组研究人员报告了几乎完整的第14个始祖鸟标本。在显微计算机层析成像数据的指导下，出色的保存和准备使这一标志性分类群成为最好的范例之一，保存了早期鸟类进化过程中与获得飞行能力有关的骨骼转变和羽毛进化的重要数据。腹侧暴露的颅骨显示了介于齿状动物1和白垩纪鸟类之间的腭形态。头骨的变化反映了始祖鸟从非鸟类兽脚亚目向不那么僵硬的颅骨结构的转变。完整的脊柱显示成对的前突和比以前认识到的更长的尾巴。右手大指上的皮肤痕迹表明，小指在远端是自由活动的，这与之前的解释相反。脚垫的形态表明它们适合非猛禽的陆地运动。在翅膀的两侧都有特殊的内部二次羽毛，称为三级羽毛。在与鸟类密切相关的非鸟类恐龙中没有肱骨三级恐龙，这表明这些羽毛是为了飞行而进化的，创造了一个连续的空气动力学表面。这些新发现澄清了始祖鸟存在的特征马赛克，完善了生态预测，阐明了始祖鸟的独特进化史，为研究祖先鸟类状况提供了线索。

附：英文原文

Title: Chicago Archaeopteryx informs on the early evolution of the avian bauplan

Author: OConnor, Jingmai, Clark, Alexander, Kuo, Pei-Chen, Kiat, Yosef, Fabbri, Matteo, Shinya, Akiko, Van Beek, Constance, Lu, Jing, Wang, Min, Hu, Han

Issue&Volume: 2025-05-14

Abstract: Here we report on the nearly complete and uncrushed 14th specimen of Archaeopteryx. Exceptional preservation and preparation guided by micro-computed tomographic data make this one of the best exemplars of this iconic taxon, preserving important data regarding skeletal transformation and plumage evolution in relation to the acquisition of flight during early avian evolution. The ventrolaterally exposed skull reveals a palatal morphology intermediate between troodontids1 and crownward Cretaceous birds2,3. Modifications of the skull reflect the shift towards a less rigid cranial architecture in archaeopterygids from non-avian theropods. The complete vertebral column reveals paired proatlases and a tail longer than previously recognized. Skin traces on the right major digit of the hand suggest that the minor digit was free and mobile distally, contrary to previous interpretations4. The morphology of the foot pads indicates that they were adapted for non-raptorial terrestrial locomotion. Specialized inner secondary feathers called tertials5,6 are observed on both wings. Humeral tertials are absent in non-avian dinosaurs closely related to birds, suggesting that these feathers evolved for flight, creating a continuous aerodynamic surface. These new findings clarify the mosaic of traits present in Archaeopteryx, refine ecological predictions and elucidate the unique evolutionary history of the Archaeopterygidae, providing clues regarding the ancestral avian condition.

DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08912-4

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08912-4