#dasornis

[bobnichollsart]

My 25 years of palaeoart chronology…

My 2023 illustration of the huge seabird Dasornis (5-6m wingspan), from DINOSAUR BEHAVIOUR, by Prof Michael Benton (published by Princeton University Press). 50% off this book here: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691244297/dinosaur-behavior?srsltid=AfmBOoqDTMigjCRkDT6SNi1Q3xHAeaiWCZ-HR5pQY1rFAsKpMNNS1IEk

[albertonykus]

It's been online for a while, but a new paper I'm on is out in final format today! Led by Abi Crane, we examined the lower jaw anatomy of three fossil birds: Asteriornis, Vegavis, and the pelagornithid Dasornis. These birds have been considered members of Galloanserae (the water- and landfowl clade), but for all three cases this classification has not gone unquestioned. We find that the lower jaw structure of Asteriornis is consistent with galloanseran affinities, whereas those of Vegavis and Dasornis lack clear galloanseran traits. So what type of birds are the latter two? Maybe future research will tell…

And for those who appreciate really deep cuts in Mesozoic theropod paleontology, we also speculate that the purported "Cretaceous parrot" jaw from the Lance Formation may belong to an Asteriornis-like bird!

For more details, the paper is open access and available here.

[mesozoicmarket]

A fossilized bird jaw of a Dasornis sp. from Oued Zem, Khouribga, Morocco. Like its relative Pelagornis, pelagornithids like the Eocene aged Dasornis are known as false-toothed or pseudotooth birds for their serrated beaks. There are currently three species of Dasornis present in this deposit, D. abdoun, D. emuinus and D. tolapica.

[otussketching]

Fossil Novembirb: Day 7 - Ancient London Town

The 50 million year old fossil site of London Clay preserves impressive fossils of early Eocene birds. Back then, during the PETM, the city of London was near a tropical shoreline, and the land was covered with forests of tropical trees and palm groves. In this hot house world, birds were diversifying rapidly, and lots of strange forms lived in London Clay.

Pulchrapollia: This pretty bird belongs to a lineage related to parrots and had parrot-like feet, but was not a close relative of them. This bird had a corvid-like beak and was likely an omnivore, like jays today.

Archaeodromus: A relative of swifts, potoos and nightjars that hawked after insects, catching them in its huge mouth.

Eotrogon: An early relative of the modern trogons and quetzals. It dove after insects and fruit from its high perch.

Ypresiglaux: Among the earliest known owls, and also one of the smallest. Despite its small stature, it was a fearsome predator of insects and small vertebrates.

Nasidytes: The earliest known loon (or diver). Like its modern relatives, it was an aquatic predator of fish and invertebrates, diving beneath the surface to catch its prey.

Dasornis toliapica: A species of pelagornithid, which were large pseudotoothed soaring seabirds. This small species had a wingspan of "only" three metres.

Nettapterornis: A wading waterfowl related to modern ducks that used its long legs and flat bill to filter food from the water.

Lithornis vulturinus: An ancestral palaeognath that was perfectly capable of long distance flight. It had a flexible beak to help catch its prey.

Charadriisimilis: A small wader that was related to the same group as oystercatchers, sandpipers and plovers. It used its long legs and beak to catch small animals from the sediment.

Prophaethon: An early relative of modern tropicbirds. It could swim and fly well, and may have had a niche similar to modern gulls or terns.

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

trick or treat :0

Dasornis!

[katborg82]

Had a busy day yesterday so I didn't have time for Novembirb, so today I drew two to make up for it

Day 7 and 8 of Fossil Novembirb, meet Dasornis and Palaeoglaux

[regaliceratops]

Dasornis emuinus, a pseudo-toothed pelagornithid bird from the Eocene of Europe. The pointed projections on its beak were adaptations for holding onto slippery fish that it snapped up in its ocean environment. Its life history was likely similar to modern albatrosses, though it was even bigger, topping out at a likely 20 ft. wingspan.

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Dasornis emuinus

By José Carlos Cortés on @quetzalcuetzpalin-art​

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Name: Dasornis emuinus

Status: Extinct

First Described: 1870

Described By: Owen

Classification: Dinosauria, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Pelagornithidae  

Dasornis is a large genus of Pseudotoothed bird from the London Clay Formation of England, and some tentative remains from other places in Europe. It seems to have only lived during the Ypresian of the Eocene of the Paleogene, from about 55 to 50 million years ago, though there may be fossils from this genus from other times later or earlier in the Paleogene, such as those on the Eocene Oligocene boundary. More research of these fossils is necessary, thus, to better understand the range of this genus. 

By Jack Wood on @thewoodparable 

Though it had thin walls like other Pseudotoothed Birds, at least some of its fossils are in decent enough condition - including multiple skulls and some wing bones. It was very distinct in that it was an older Pseudotoothed bird - from the Paleogene rather than the Neogene - but it was actually very arge, a hallmark of later Pseudooothed birds. It probably had a wingspan of at least 5 meters in length if not 6 meters, and it had deep grooves in its bill between each of the fake teeth on the upper bill that would have held the teeth of the lower bill, making only the upper bill’s teeth visible with the mouth closed. It had wings much like that of its contemporary, Odontopteryx. Dasornis would have been a common feature on the shores of England during the Eocene, and a rather devil looking one to boot. 

Source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasornis