What complexity regarding trait acquisition does the placement of Xiaotingia suggest about features considered 'advanced' for bird origins?
Answer
They might have appeared episodically or convergently across different small theropod branches
Despite being grouped with advanced forms, Xiaotingia exhibits relative primitiveness in certain skeletal aspects. This juxtaposition suggests a significant conclusion regarding avian evolution: the traits paleontologists deem 'advanced' for bird origins did not necessarily arise in a strictly linear sequence. Instead, these features might have evolved repeatedly or independently (episodically or convergently) across various distinct branches within the small theropod dinosaur groups. This concept implies that the journey toward birds involved numerous experimental body plans and parallel evolutionary developments.
Related Questions
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