Comment on "A well-preserved Archaeopteryx specimen with theropod features".
On the basis of new information from the 10th specimen of Archaeopteryx, Mayr et al. (Reports, 2 December 2005, p. 1483) suggested that birds, or avian flight, originated twice. We investigate the statistical support for this phylogenetic hypothesis and show that it is no better supported by available morphological character data than the hypothesis of a single avian origin.
Corfe
Ian J
IJ
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol, BS8 1RJ, UK. ian.corfe@bristol.ac.uk
Butler
Richard J
RJ
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001717:Birds / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D025061:Dinosaurs; D005426:Flight, Animal; D005580:Fossils; D010802:Phylogeny