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Who isn’t familiar with chicken? The two-legged bird whose meat is often found on our dining tables at home. Interestingly, this seemingly ordinary chicken actually has a close relationship with the dinosaurs that went extinct millions of years ago!
Not only are they descendants of dinosaurs, millions of years ago, chickens also walked on Earth among various terrifying types of dinosaurs. Hard to imagine? Interesting to explore further? Let’s discover some interesting chicken facts.Asteriornis maastrichtensisbelow!
1. Life around 60 million years ago
Asteriornis maastrichtensisLife existed more than 60 million years ago. One of its fossils successfully found originated from the Northern Hemisphere and is estimated to be 66.7 million years old. Another fossil, found on the Antarctic Peninsula, is younger, at 66.5 million years old.
At this time, only 700,000 years before the asteroid hit Earth and wiped out most dinosaur species,Asteriornis maastrichtensisLiving alongside various dinosaur species. No less so the fierce dinosaurs that we are very familiar with,T-Rex.
2. Called ‘magic chicken’
ReportedNational Geographic, this bird that lived more than 60 million years ago was nicknamed asWonder Chickenor magical chicken by an international team of scientists analyzing this species’ fossils.
NameAsteriornisIt is given because of its characteristics similar to ducks and chickens. This similarity is found in the shape of its skull, which resembles Galliformes (the ancestor of chickens) and Anseriformes (the ancestor of ducks). Scientists also theorize that this bird species has a relationship with the ancestors of both modern birds.
3. Living in a coastal area
Chickens can generally live anywhere, even on the coast. Therefore, it is not surprising that this ancient bird species once lived on the coast.Asteriornis maastrichtensisIt is estimated to have lived along the coasts of Europe at the end of the Cretaceous period.
4. Members of the ancient bird group
DescribedNational Geographic, modern birds living today come from the same ancient group. This ancient group is known asNeornithesThese primitive bird groups appeared at the end of the Cretaceous period.
Among all group membersNeornithes,Asteriornis maastrichtensisbecoming the first species with a very well-preserved skull fossil. The fossil of this species provides the clearest picture of what modern birds looked like when they lived during the time of T-rex andTriceratopsstill alive.
5. Asteriornis maastrichtensis is still related to T-rex
Not all ancient living beings are related. However, T-rex andAsteriornis maastrichtensisStill belong to the same family tree when traced back hundreds of millions of years.
DescribedNatural History Museum, birds and other fowl evolved from a group of carnivorous dinosaurs known as theropods. T-Rex is one of the members of this group. However, the group that evolved into birds and fowl came from small theropods, not large species like T-Rex.
Therefore, if we draw the family line of birds and the chickens we usually eat, they are actually related to the most famous meat-eating dinosaurs in movies. Amazing, isn’t it? The chicken that looks like an ordinary animal, apparently has a very extraordinary and terrifying ancestor.
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