#apsaravis

By Jack Wood on @thewoodparable

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Name: Apsaravis ukhaaana

Name Meaning: Apsara Bird

First Described: 2001

Described By: Norell & Clarke

Classification: Dinosauria, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha

Apsaravis is a fairly well known fossilized Ornithuromorph from the Djadokhta Formation of Mongolia, living about 75 million years ago, in the Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous. This made it a contemporary of many famous dinosaurs in a very ecological complex ecosystem - the Djadokhta was a dry, arid environment with few sources of freshwater, and it lived alongside such other dinosaurs as Pinacosaurus, Protoceratops, Byronosaurus, Citipati, Gobipteryx, Gobivenator, Halszkaraptor, Khaan, Kol, Shuvuuia, Velociraptor, and Tsaagan - a very theropod heavy environment, making Apsaravis one of many in this location. Apsaravis was very important to the history of Mesozoic Bird paleontology, as well, in that it provided clues to the general evolutionary history of Avialans, showing that things like Archaeopteryx and Confuciusornis and Enantiornithines were actually respectively further and further closer to modern birds rather than in a single group together; that Enantiornithines were a thing in general, that Euornithines were more than just aquatic birds (since Apsaravis showed no real aquatic adaptations and lived in an arid environment), and that the evolution of the modern bird flight stroke had already begun in Apsaravis. 

By José Carlos Cortés on @quetzalcuetzpalin-art​

It was kind of small sized bird, with a wingspan of 30 centimeters, and a body length (without the tail) of 18 centimeters or so. It had a small head, with long wings and the ability to extend its hand automatically during the flight stroke - the modern-bird-esque motion I mentioned previously, that would have given it better flight ability in general. It had long legs with long feet, and stout toes, which probably would have helped it walk in its sandy, desert environment. It was probably adapted for running in its environment, as such, or maybe swimming - though, there wasn’t a lot of fresh water in the Djadokhta, so probably not. It possibly hunted small lizards and other little vertebrates in this environment. Its snout isn’t known, so we don’t know if it had teeth or not. Its classification is a little debated, with some thinking it as derived as Ornithurae (the group containing modern birds and their closest relatives), and others thinking its only as derived as Ornithuromorpha (so a somewhat derived Euornithine). 

Sources:

Martyniuk, M. P. 2012. A Field Guide to Mesozoic Birds and other Winged Dinosaurs. Pan Aves; Vernon, New Jersey. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djadochta_Formation 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apsaravis