Abstract

CHIAPPE, Luis M.  and  VARGAS, Alexander. Feathering dinosaurs: the transition from theropods to birds. Hornero [online]. 2003, vol.18, n.1, pp.1-11. ISSN 0073-3407.

Since the beginning of evolutionary thinking, the origin of birds has constituted one of the most debated problems in evolutionary biology. Today, a large body of evidence indicates that such a problem is to a great extent solved. Osteological, oological, ethological, and integumentary evidence strongly supports the hypothesis that birds evolved from theropod dinosaurs, in particular from dinosaurs classified within Maniraptora. Today's handful of researchers opposing this hypothesis have either based their criticisms on mistaken observations or they have framed them within dated methodologies. This paper provides a brief discussion of both the evidence in support to this hypothesis and the main arguments against it.

Keywords : Aves; origin; evolution; Mesozoic.

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