Pycnofibers = Feathers? New finds from China seem to suggest they're the same

[ITdactyl]

Here are some nice write-ups:

http://www.eartharchives.org/articles/exquisitely-preserved-fossils-prove-pterosaurs-grew-bird-like-feathers/?fbclid=IwAR2YBJU3LfH8JA3Kbxq0Q488ETnXCs8BJGzYEuY7U_rI3BYyz-H-IOUIxj8

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46572782?SThisFB&fbclid=IwAR2rhMt1OlffEOdroP7b3j1cqFHQXcmLzMmCmG6BucJ8VaF-AR1zkTwhWj0

NEW:  https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/pterosaurs-just-keep-getting-weirder/

the Paywalled paper:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-018-0728-7?fbclid=IwAR2W76vH9cYoRks1uZKBXN_--KBYsGDqPxYuh3bacuj7qts-k3iVSdMmwdc


4 different types of "fluff" on an anurognathid, each with a different appearance and structure.  What I like about the findings is that it shows pycnofibers aren't restricted to simple hollow tubes... so there's a possibility for striking coats on pterosaurs.  At the very least, the findings seem to suggest this pterosaur was a ginger.

And... science flaps along.  I wonder what else will turn up...

[ImADinosaurRARR]

Pirated version ;P https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-018-0728-7.epdf?shared_access_token=wsj4P5pKcG3NWkJW-AmpRtRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0OhuDOmy4G-1OHvOkIfGGVa07EOVX4CcCn1ujEjIGdNkUvzBZug8tPjjaWNG4bQuVMptkL5xktsqRha5pWB32jiQniNwh5I29FN9QSZBgCnOnLfkJRv_sadxY_WtSQWxj4%3D

AND HOLY HECK! Haven't finished but I am so excited! In my mind I always considered picnofibers and feathers two completely separate things. Actually, now that picnofibers are just feathers, do we even need the term picnofiber? I wonder how the two filaments diverged in morphology over time.

[ITdactyl]

Oh, neat!  Thanks for that link!

[Faelrin]

If both pterosaurs and dinosaurs have feathers now then this would obviously mean they both have a common archosaur ancestor that sported them in some degree too (although I've seen things heading in that direction a while on here, if only because of the previous similarities of the structures. Edit: As well as something showing modern crocodilians having the genes or something similar like that? Not entirely sure on that one though). Pretty interesting implications though. Nice to see colors from a pterosaur as well (assuming we didn't have that before).

[Patrx]

Egad! This is certainly very interesting.

[ITdactyl]

I added the link to the scientificamerican article to the first post. It seems dissenting views (acknowledging the discovery of the new structures but refuting the link to true feathers) are now being published.