Confuciusornis
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English: Conguciusornis is an extinct type of bird, known from hundreds of fossil specimens unearthed in China. Confuciusornis is believed to have lived in the Early Cretaceous, some 125 MYA. Unlike some other fossil birds, like Archaeopteryx, Confuciusornis had a well developed, toothless beak, and a short tail with a pygostyle, which served as attachment for a pair of extremely elongated tail feathers. Fossil stomach contens has showed that it likely ate fish.[1] CT scan of its fossils has revealed fossilized melanosomes, which has showed that the bird had colors in grey, black and red or brown.[2]
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Skull drawing (Chiappe et.al, 1999).
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Wing drawing (Chiappe et.al, 1999).
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Confuciusornis size, compared to human.
Fossil
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Slice of bone.
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Fossil at North American Museum of Ancient Life.
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Specimen at Hong Kong Science Museum.
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From Paleozoological Museum of China.
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Slab with 2 specimens.