Juan Benito

Micro-computed tomography of 69 immature and mature bird specimens finds complete post-hatching pterygoid segmentation (hemipterygoid detaches from pterygoid, fuses to palatine) only in Neoaves, not Galloanserae or palaeognaths.

The paper quantitatively assesses avian palate ontogeny across 70 species to determine the developmental mechanisms behind morphological disparity, finding no evidence of neoteny but highlighting the role of developmental mode.

The paper critiques a study on avian palate evolution, highlighting issues with taxon sampling and morphological interpretations.

Mandibular µCT reconstructions favour galliform-like, not palaeognath, affinities for Asteriornis; Vegavis and pelagornithid jaws lack key galloanseran synapomorphies and instead share features with stem bird Ichthyornis.

The paper compares estimated air space proportion (ASP) with true air space proportion (ASPt) in birds, finding ASPt is significantly lower, highlighting the need to account for soft tissue volume in skeletal pneumaticity studies.