通過對始祖鳥羽毛化石首次進(jìn)行的完整化學(xué)分析,，科學(xué)家發(fā)現(xiàn)始祖鳥的羽毛顏色呈淺色,，邊緣和端點呈黑色，而非此前認(rèn)為的完全呈黑色,。始祖鳥是一種著名遠(yuǎn)古動物,，將恐龍與鳥類聯(lián)系在一起
借助于復(fù)雜的化學(xué)分析，英國曼徹斯特大學(xué)的一組專家揭示了始祖鳥羽毛的秘密,。根據(jù)他們繪制的迄今為止最為清晰的始祖鳥羽毛圖像,，始祖鳥的羽毛呈淺色，而非此前認(rèn)為的全黑,。始祖鳥是地球上已知最為古老的鳥類,，生活在1.5億年前。
曼徹斯特大學(xué)進(jìn)行的研究是第一次完整的始祖鳥羽毛化學(xué)分析,。分析結(jié)果顯示始祖鳥羽毛的顏色與此前認(rèn)為的截然不同,。科學(xué)家此前一直認(rèn)為始祖鳥的羽毛完全呈黑色,，但根據(jù)這項新研究,，始祖鳥的羽毛顏色呈淺色，邊緣和端點呈黑色,。始祖鳥是一種著名遠(yuǎn)古動物,，將恐龍與鳥類聯(lián)系在一起,。
此項X射線研究由曼徹斯特大學(xué)的一支研究小組與美國能源部SLAC國家加速器實驗室的同行合作進(jìn)行。在對距今1.5億年前的始祖鳥化石進(jìn)行分析時,，科學(xué)家發(fā)現(xiàn)了最初的化學(xué)痕跡以及羽毛色素的痕跡,。研究論文主執(zhí)筆人、曼徹斯特大學(xué)古生物學(xué)家菲爾-曼寧博士表示：“在了解羽毛進(jìn)化和羽毛保存的道路上,，我們向前邁出了重要一步,。”研究論文刊登在6月13日出版的英國皇家化學(xué)學(xué)會《原子光譜分析雜志》上。（生物谷 Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦的英文摘要
J. Anal. At. Spectrom.
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA50077B
Synchrotron-based chemical imaging reveals plumage patterns in a 150 million year old early bird
Phillip. L. Manning, Nicholas P. Edwards, Roy A. Wogelius, Uwe Bergmann, Holly E. Barden, Peter L. Larson, Daniela Schwarz-Wings, Victoria M. Egerton, Dimosthenis Sokaras, Roberto A. Morib & William I. Sellerse
Charles Darwin acknowledged the importance of colour in the natural selection of bird plumage. Colour can indicate age, sex, and diet, as well as play roles in camouflage, mating and establishing territories. Feather and integument colour depend on both chemical and structural characteristics and so melanosome structure and trace metal biomarkers can be used to infer colour and pigment patterns in a range of extant and fossil organisms. In this study, three key specimens of Archaeopteryx were subjected to non-destructive chemical analysis in order to investigate the potential preservation of original pigmentation in early fossil feathers. Synchrotron Rapid Scanning X-ray Fluorescence (SRS-XRF) maps are combined with sulphur X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) spectroscopy to provide the first map of organic sulphur distribution within whole fossils, and demonstrate that organically derived endogenous compounds are present. The distribution of trace-metals and organic sulphur in Archaeopteryx strongly suggests that remnants of endogenous eumelanin pigment have been preserved in the feathers of this iconic fossil. These distributions are used here to predict the complete feather pigment pattern and show that the distal tips and outer vanes of feathers were more heavily pigmented than inner vanes, contrary to recent studies. This pigment adaptation might have impacted upon the structural and mechanical properties of early feathers, steering plumage evolution in Archaeopteryx and other feathered theropod dinosaurs.
