An examination of the fossil skull of Navaornis hestiae offers important insights into the evolution of birds
An article published in the journal “Nature” reports the identification of a species of primitive birds that lived about 80 million years ago, in the Cretaceous period, in today’s Brazil. A team of researchers examined a very well-preserved fossil skeleton and named the species Navaornis hestiae, attributing it to the group of Enantiornithes. A thorough examination was possible by subjecting the skeleton to a CT scan that allowed them to create a 3D reconstruction. The characteristics of the brain of this primitive bird offer new information on the evolution of bird brain.
