Evolution of growth pattern in birds

Anusuya Chinsamy and Andrzej Elzanowski ()
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Anusuya Chinsamy: University of Cape Town
Andrzej Elzanowski: Institute of Zoology, University of Wroclaw

Nature, 2001, vol. 412, issue 6845, 402-403

Abstract: Abstract Living (neornithine) birds grow up rapidly and without interruption, terminating their growth within one year and, with a few secondary exceptions, starting to fly only after or near the completion of growth. Bone histology has revealed that pre-avian theropods also grew fast for most of the postnatal period, but that this growth was usually intermittent and probably extended for more than one year1,2,3. We have found surprising evidence for an early postnatal slowing-down of growth in two lineages of flying basal birds, which suggests that birds may have started their evolution as precocious fliers.

Date: 2001
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DOI: 10.1038/35086650

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