Overview
- The Innovation published the findings on February 2, 2026, based on the Chicago Archaeopteryx, first described in 2025 and currently on display at the Field Museum.
- Meticulous preparation led by chief preparator Akiko Shinya used ultraviolet checks to safeguard soft tissues, with unusual traces flagged to lead author Jingmai O’Connor.
- The team documents oral papillae on the palate, marking the first confirmed examples of these fleshy structures in the fossil record.
- A tiny hyoid fragment indicates a highly mobile tongue, while CT scans reveal nerve canals at the beak tip consistent with a sensory bill-tip organ.
- The authors argue these mouth traits represent feeding specializations tied to the high energy costs of flight and offer new criteria for distinguishing early birds from closely related feathered dinosaurs.