How does the jaw structure of Pelagornis contrast with the wandering albatross?
Answer
Pelagornis had bony projections; the albatross has a modern keratinous beak.
A major anatomical distinction between the extinct giant and the largest living flyer lies in their jaws. Pelagornis featured prominent, enamel-covered bony projections, known as pseudoteeth, growing directly from the jaw margin. In sharp contrast, the wandering albatross, representative of modern birds, possesses a conventional keratinous beak structure that lacks any such bony projections along the edges. This difference highlights millions of years of evolutionary divergence in feeding apparatuses between the ancient Pelagornithiformes and contemporary avifauna.
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