Home » today » Health » The world’s largest bird fossil found in Australia, like what? page all

The world’s largest bird fossil found in Australia, like what? page all

KOMPAS.com – Paleontologists find fossil evidence bird giant. They suspect bird fossil this is probably the largest in the world and I have ever lived in Australia 8 million years ago.

This was revealed after experts found a pair of legs belonging to a named bird Dromornis stirtoni in the interior of central Australia.

Dromornis stirtoni described as an extreme evolutionary experiment due to its peculiar anatomical characteristics. Its large beak protrudes from the small skull, all attached to the body up to 3 meters high and weighing up to half a ton.

Interestingly, what species giant bird This according to the researchers is actually related to modern poultry, such as chickens and ducks.

Quoted by Science Notice, On Friday (7/10/2022) the findings of the remains of a large flightless bird also showed that after death the bird was buried in intact conditions.

“We got the lower legs in the excavation. Hopefully most of the skeletons will still be found in future excavations,” said Adam Yates, paleontologist and curator of the Northern Territory Museum and Art Gallery.

Read also: What is the secret of the longevity of parrots that can live up to 30 years?

Bird fossil The largest in the world is located in the Alcoota Reserve, which is one of the largest conservation sites for terrestrial vertebrate remains in Australia.

Previously, the site had produced thousands of fossil specimens since excavations began in 1986.

But most of the fossils found there are fragments of a mixture of different species following the flood that confused them.

So most of the Alcoota fossils require careful selection and require more reflection.

Meanwhile the foot fossil D. stirtoni it is an interesting finding because it can provide researchers with more accurate information on the true proportions of these birds.

Furthermore, the discovery the largest bird fossil in the world this will be able to help experts in identifying the bones D. stirtoni which is still mixed on the Alcoota site.

Read also: The first fruit-eating bird on Earth, what was it like?

Judging by the size of the newly discovered fossil’s leg bones, researchers suspect the remains belong D. stirtoni female, who the team later dubbed Deb.

Next, the team plans to perform histological tests to confirm their conjecture.

Steps D. stirtoni it is found only in Australia. Bird with these small stubby wings it lacks the special sternum on which other birds rely for the attachment of their large flight muscles.

Birds chase dry forests and likely use their large beaks to devour fruit and other vegetation.

The results of this giant bird fossil prove this D. stirtoni he was a high explorer of this arid ecosystem, similar to today’s camel, which exploited its height to reach vegetation beyond the reach of smaller herbivores.

Read also: Experts find out why parrots can live up to 30 years

Fossil records show that this epic bird lived over a span of 25 million years.

However, at the end of the Miocene, Australia dried up. This makes it difficult for birds to adapt.

The researchers also noted that the largest bird fossil in the world, also called demonic duck this is very rare at a young age, indicating that the animal does not have a rapid reproduction rate.

It will probably only produce one or two babies a year.

“It also takes a long time for a Dromornis bird to become an adult, about 15 years to reach adult size and sexual maturity,” Yates explained.

The research team plans to carry out further excavations next year. They believe there are still many bird fossils waiting to be found in the mound.

Read also: Owls 6 million years ago active during the day


Receive updates Featured News And latest news every day from Kompas.com. Let’s join the Telegram group “Kompas.com News Update”, how to click the link https://t.me/kompascomupdate, then join. You must first install the Telegram application on your mobile.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.