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In zoology, a scale (Ancient Greek: λεπίς, romanized: lepís; Latin: squāma) is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin to provide protection. In lepidopterans ( butterflies and moths ), scales are plates on the surface of the insect wing , and provide coloration.
Confuciusornis sanctus, a Cretaceous bird from China that lived 125 million years ago, is the oldest known bird to have a beak. [33] Over 40% of key traits found in modern birds evolved during the 60 million year transition from the earliest bird-line archosaurs to the first maniraptoromorphs, i.e. the first dinosaurs closer to living birds ...
The scale-eating cichlid Perissodus microlepis [31] Mouth and jaw asymmetry More effective at removing scales from their prey Humans [32] [33] [34] Handedness and internal asymmetry of organs e.g. left lung is smaller than the right Handedness is an adaptation reflecting the asymmetries of the human brain. All vertebrates
Evolution generally occurs at a scale far too slow to be witnessed by humans. However, bird species are currently going extinct at a far greater rate than any possible speciation or other generation of new species [citation needed]. The disappearance of a population, subspecies, or species represents the permanent loss of a range of genes.
The use of bird skins to document species has been a standard part of systematic ornithology. Bird skins are prepared by retaining the key bones of the wings, legs, and skull along with the skin and feathers. In the past, they were treated with arsenic to prevent fungal and insect (mostly dermestid) attack.
Bird food plants are certain trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants bearing fruits which afford food for birds. These have been discovered by observation, and by the ...
Swimming birds have a wide sternum, walking birds have a long sternum, and flying birds have a sternum that is nearly equal in width and height. [19] The chest consists of the furcula (wishbone) and coracoid (collar bone) which, together with the scapula , form the pectoral girdle ; the side of the chest is formed by the ribs, which meet at the ...
Bird ringing is the term used in the UK and in some other parts of Europe, while the term bird banding is more often used in the U.S. and Australia. [49] bird strike The impact of a bird or birds with an airplane in flight. [50] body down The layer of small, fluffy down feathers that lie underneath the outer contour feathers on a bird's body. [51]