古脊椎动物学报（中英文）2024，Vol.62Issue(2)：99-119,21.DOI:10.19615/j.cnki.2096-9899.240305
现生鸟类颈椎形态测定分析及其对中生代鸟类饮食生态的启示
Morphometric analysis of the cervical vertebral series in extant birds with implications for Mesozoic avialan feeding ecology
摘要
Abstract
The inference of Mesozoic avialan bird diets previously relied on traditional methods such as morphological comparisons among taxa and direct evidence such as identifiable stomach contents.However,the application of these approaches has been limited because of uncommon preservation of relevant fossil evidence.We searched for additional informative characteristics to help develop new methods to assess the diet of fossil birds.In particular,the morphology of the avialan neck is highly modularized and plays roles in multiple functions including food acquisition.The structure of and variation among the cervical vertebrae likely reflects the demands of feeding ecology in fossil and extant birds because the avialan neck evolved to,at least in part,replace the forelimbs by assisting with activities such as cranioinertial feeding and other ecological functions.Here,we utilize morphometric and statistical analyses to establish an initial quantitative relationship between cervical morphology and dietary modes in both extant and extinct birds.This morphometric framework derived from the cervical morphology of living birds is used as a basis to estimate the diet categories of five taxa of Mesozoic birds.The results indicate that there is a quantitative correlation between cervical morphology differentiation and their interrelated feeding modes.The enantiornithine taxa examined exhibit cervical morphologies similar to extant insectivorous or carnivorous birds.The ornithurine species show cervical morphologies that are more aligned with generalist or herbivorous birds,and exhibit preliminary morphological features tied to aquatic adaptions.These findings are consistent in part with other direct fossil evidence,as well as hypotheses developed from other skeletal comparisons.Therefore,the cervical vertebral series,as a skeletal system closely linked to food acquisition,can serve as one of the valuable metrics to provide information for inferring the diet of long extinct Mesozoic birds.关键词
中生代鸟类/颈椎形态/食性/生态分异Key words
Mesozoic birds/cervical morphology/diet/ecological variation分类
生物科学引用本文复制引用
刘碧莹,Thomas A.STIDHAM,王小平,李志恒,周忠和..现生鸟类颈椎形态测定分析及其对中生代鸟类饮食生态的启示[J].古脊椎动物学报（中英文）,2024,62(2):99-119,21.基金项目
国家自然科学基金项目(批准号:42288201,42172029)资助. We thank Chen Shouming,Yin Pengfei,Wang Jia,and Hou Yemao for CT scanning at CAGS and IVPP.We thank Xue Jiayang for help in statistical analysis.We also thank the Nature Reserve of Snake Island-Laotie Mountain for providing extant bird specimens.This study was supported mainly by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC 42288201 and 42172029),and CAS Strategic Priority Program(XDB26000000). （批准号:42288201,42172029）
