Communications Biology (Dec 2020)

Archaeopteryx feather sheaths reveal sequential center-out flight-related molting strategy

  • Thomas G. Kaye,
  • Michael Pittman,
  • William R. Wahl

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-020-01467-2
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3, no. 1
pp. 1 – 5

Abstract

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Thomas Kaye et al. use Laser-Stimulated Fluorescence and fossil evidence from the oldest known bird, Archaeopteryx, to document the oldest record of molting, demonstrating that a sophisticated molting strategy developed unexpectedly early on in the evolution of avian flight. This discovery provides important insights into the flight capabilities of the earliest birds and predates other major flight adaptations.