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https://hdl.handle.net/2440/57351
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Type: | Journal article |
Title: | DNA content and distribution in ancient feathers and potential to reconstruct the plumage of extinct avian taxa |
Author: | Rawlence, N. Wood, J. Armstrong, K. Cooper, A. |
Citation: | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2009; 276(1672):3395-3402 |
Publisher: | Royal Soc London |
Issue Date: | 2009 |
ISSN: | 0962-8452 1471-2970 |
Statement of Responsibility: | Nicolas J. Rawlence, Jamie R. Wood, Kyle N. Armstrong and Alan Cooper |
Abstract: | Feathers are known to contain amplifiable DNA at their base (calamus) and have provided an important genetic source from museum specimens. However, feathers in subfossil deposits generally only preserve the upper shaft and feather ‘vane’ which are thought to be unsuitable for DNA analysis. We analyse subfossil moa feathers from Holocene New Zealand rockshelter sites and demonstrate that both ancient DNA and plumage information can be recovered from their upper portion, allowing species identification and a means to reconstruct the appearance of extinct taxa. These ancient DNA sequences indicate that the distal portions of feathers are an untapped resource for studies of museum, palaeontological and modern specimens. We investigate the potential to reconstruct the plumage of pre-historically extinct avian taxa using subfossil remains, rather than assuming morphological uniformity with closely related extant taxa. To test the notion of colour persistence in subfossil feathers, we perform digital comparisons of feathers of the red-crowned parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae novaezelandiae) excavated from the same horizons as the moa feathers, with modern samples. The results suggest that the coloration of the moa feathers is authentic, and computer software is used to perform plumage reconstructions of moa based on subfossil remains. |
Keywords: | ancient DNA feathers moa phenotype plumage reconstruction |
Description: | © 2009 The Royal Society |
DOI: | 10.1098/rspb.2009.0755 |
Grant ID: | ARC |
Published version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2009.0755 |
Appears in Collections: | Aurora harvest 5 Australian Centre for Ancient DNA publications Earth and Environmental Sciences publications Environment Institute Leaders publications Environment Institute publications |
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