Feathered dinosaur tail found in amber

essentialsaltes

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The tail of a feathered dinosaur has been found perfectly preserved in amber from Myanmar.

The one-of-a-kind discovery helps put flesh on the bones of these extinct creatures, opening a new window on the biology of a group that dominated Earth for more than 160 million years.

Examination of the specimen suggests the tail was chestnut brown on top and white on its underside.

From the Current Biology article:
Here we describe the feathered tail of a non-avialan theropod preserved in mid-Cretaceous (∼99 Ma) amber from Kachin State, Myanmar, with plumage structure that directly informs the evolutionary developmental pathway of feathers."
 

USincognito

a post by Alan Smithee
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Hank77

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I hope I didn't come across as accusatory, I was trying to be informative. Wish I'd phrased my comment differently. This is an amazing and monumental discovery and should be brought up again from time to time.
No you didn't. :) I just wanted the OP poster how much I appreciated it. Sorry that I made you concerned.
 
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essentialsaltes

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I hope I didn't come across as accusatory, I was trying to be informative. Wish I'd phrased my comment differently. This is an amazing and monumental discovery and should be brought up again from time to time.

Sorry if the internet didn't make either of our messages as clear as we liked. I can't claim to know a lot of you anonymous people well on CF, but I know you, USincognito, well enough to know where you were coming from.
 
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Just Another User

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I hope I didn't come across as accusatory, I was trying to be informative. Wish I'd phrased my comment differently. This is an amazing and monumental discovery and should be brought up again from time to time.

Nah you phrased it fine mate. Pretty awesome discovery and we're lucky to be alive to witness it.
 
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Ophiolite

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Intriguing discovery. I found myself making whimsical lighthearted connections upon reading it.

Feathers ==>down==>Down House==>Darwin

Was his choice of residence a cryptic anticipation of the discovery? :)

Normal Service Will Now Be Resumed!
 
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juvenissun

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The tail of a feathered dinosaur has been found perfectly preserved in amber from Myanmar.

The one-of-a-kind discovery helps put flesh on the bones of these extinct creatures, opening a new window on the biology of a group that dominated Earth for more than 160 million years.

Examination of the specimen suggests the tail was chestnut brown on top and white on its underside.

From the Current Biology article:
Here we describe the feathered tail of a non-avialan theropod preserved in mid-Cretaceous (∼99 Ma) amber from Kachin State, Myanmar, with plumage structure that directly informs the evolutionary developmental pathway of feathers."

Could any DNA or protein be preserved in the tail?
Why not?
 
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John B. Andelin

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The tail of a feathered dinosaur has been found perfectly preserved in amber from Myanmar.

The one-of-a-kind discovery helps put flesh on the bones of these extinct creatures, opening a new window on the biology of a group that dominated Earth for more than 160 million years.

Examination of the specimen suggests the tail was chestnut brown on top and white on its underside.

From the Current Biology article:
Here we describe the feathered tail of a non-avialan theropod preserved in mid-Cretaceous (∼99 Ma) amber from Kachin State, Myanmar, with plumage structure that directly informs the evolutionary developmental pathway of feathers."
The article did not document any proof that the presumed feathers were actually part of a "non-avian theropod". Also, there is no scientific documentation of the age of the amber.
 
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tas8831

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Hank77

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The article did not document any proof that the presumed feathers were actually part of a "non-avian theropod". Also, there is no scientific documentation of the age of the amber.
That's "non-avialan theropod".
OK, I know I am an idiot about all this stuff but I try to learn.
I thought that this statement from the article was proof that the feathers are from a non-avian theropod? I'm confused.

"We can be sure of the source because the vertebrae are not fused into a rod or pygostyle as in modern birds and their closest relatives," he explained.

"Instead, the tail is long and flexible, with keels of feathers running down each side."
 
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