Dinosaur Feathers Found in Amber

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From The Atlantic:

Dinosaur and bird feathers preserved in amber from a Late Cretaceous site in Canada reveal new insights into the structure, function, and color of animals that date back to about 78 million years ago.

Researchers led by University of Alberta paleontologist Ryan McKellar say these specimens represent distinct stages of feather evolution, from early-stage, single filament protofeathers to much more complex structures associated with modern diving birds. After analyzing the preserved pigment cells, the authors add that these feathered creatures may have also had a range of transparent, mottled, and diffused colors, similar to birds today. They can't determine which feathers belonged to birds or dinosaurs yet, but they did observe filament structures that are similar to those seen in other non-avian dinosaur fossils. Their findings appear in the current issue of the journal Science.

How significant is this discovery?

This discovery is a pretty significant find. It supports a model for the evolution of feathers that has previously relied on compression fossils that are difficult to interpret and have been hotly debated.

Also, the amber-entombed feathers show that some of the most primitive feather types, also known as protofeathers, were still around just before the dinosaurs went extinct. They existed alongside feathers that are nearly identical to those of modern birds. Given what we know about the animals that were alive in the area at the time, it is reasonable to suggest that the protofeather-like specimens are attributable to dinosaurs and are the first specimens of this type of feather to be recovered from amber.

Via kottke

Photo Credit: Science/AAAS