Mesozoic avian bone microstructure: physiological implications

Abstract

We report on the bone microstructure of the Late Cretaceous birdsPatagopteryx deferrariisiand members of the Enantiornithes. These birds represent the most primitive birds ever studied histologically. The occurrence of growth rings indicating alternating periods of slowed and fast growth suggests that these basal birds had slower growth rates, and differed physiologically from their modern relatives. Our findings also call into question previous ideas suggesting that nonavian theropods developed a full avian degree of homeothermic endothermy, which was later inherited by birds. On the contrary, our findings suggest that birds developed classic endothermy relatively late in their phylogenetic history.