What specific anatomical feature defines the Order Procellariiformes grouping?
Answer
Distinctive nasal tubes used for excreting excess salt
The Order Procellariiformes, which includes the albatrosses, petrels, and shearwaters, is fundamentally characterized by a very specific anatomical adaptation related to their marine diet: the presence of distinctive nasal tubes. These structures are essential physiological tools that allow the birds to efficiently excrete the excess salt absorbed when consuming seawater or salty prey. This shared feature distinguishes them within the Class Aves and results in the common group name, the tube-nosed seabirds. Although they share Class Aves traits like feathers and Order Chordata traits like a notochord, the nasal tube is the hallmark feature defining their placement at the Order level.
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