A core question in evolutionary biology is whether convergent phenotypic evolution is driven
by convergent molecular changes in proteins or regulatory regions. We combined …

The evolution of the ratite birds has been widely attributed to vicariant speciation, driven by
the Cretaceous breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana. The early isolation of Africa and …

To better determine the history of modern birds, we performed a genome-scale phylogenetic
analysis of 48 species representing all orders of Neoaves using phylogenomic methods …

Background The origin of birds is one of the most enduring and dramatic evolutionary
debates. The hypothesis that the primarily small-sized birds are nested within a theropod …

Despite tremendous efforts in the past decades, relationships among main avian lineages
remain heavily debated without a clear resolution. Discrepancies have been attributed to …

The interplay of evolution and development has been at the heart of evolutionary theory for
more than a century. Heterochrony—change in the timing or rate of developmental events …

INTRODUCTION Changes in the size and proportion of limbs and other structures have
played a key role in the evolution of species. One common class of limb modification is …

Locomotion in living birds (Neornithes) has two remarkable features: feather-assisted flight,
and the use of unusually crouched hindlimbs for bipedal support and movement. When and …

Birds are the most diverse living tetrapod group and are a model of large-scale adaptive
radiation. Neontological studies suggest a radiation within the avian crown group, long after …

Recent discoveries have highlighted the dramatic evolutionary transformation of massive,
ground-dwelling theropod dinosaurs into light, volant birds. Here, we apply Bayesian …