The colour of fossil feathers
Open accessAbstract
Feathers are complex integumentary appendages of birds and some other theropod dinosaurs. They are frequently coloured and function in camouflage and display. Previous investigations have concluded that fossil feathers are preserved as carbonized traces composed of feather-degrading bacteria. Here, an investigation of a colour-banded feather from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil revealed that the dark bands are preserved as elongate, oblate carbonaceous bodies 1-2 microm long, whereas the light bands retain only relief traces on the rock matrix. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis showed that the dark bands preserve a substantial amount of carbon, whereas the light bands show no carbon residue. Comparison of these oblate fossil bodies with the structure of black feathers from a living bird indicates that they are the eumelanin-containing melanosomes. We conclude that most fossil feathers are preserved as melanosomes, and that the distribution of these structures in fossil feathers can preserve the colour pattern in the original feather. The discovery of preserved melanosomes opens up the possibility of interpreting the colour of extinct birds and other dinosaurs.
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Morphological properties of associated melanosomes have been used to reconstruct various plumage colours of extinct dinosaurs.
“the morphological properties of the associated melanosomes have been used to reconstruct various plumage colours of extinct dinosaurs 12-16 .”
From New evidence on the colour and nature of the isolated Archaeopteryx feather (2012) · cites this paper as [15]
The Discussion identifies fossil melanosomes and reconstructs a black-and-white pattern in one Cretaceous feather. It describes predicting feather colours in other theropod dinosaurs as a possibility and says dinosaur feathers had not yet been investigated. It therefore does not support the claim that various plumage colours of extinct dinosaurs had already been reconstructed. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe outer sheaths most likely have an organic composition, corroborated by their dark coloration.
“indicating low density and most likely an organic composition, corroborated by their dark coloration, perhaps due to melanin or another recalcitrant pigment [47–49”
From Cambrian Sessile, Suspension Feeding Stem-Group Ctenophores and Evolution of the Comb Jelly Body Plan (2019) · cites this paper as [49]
The Results section reports that dark bands of a fossil feather contain carbon-rich structures, and the Discussion identifies them as eumelanin-containing melanosomes. This supports a link between dark coloration and preserved organic pigment, but the paper does not examine the outer sheaths or establish their composition. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredOther melanosome imprints are aligned along the longitudinal axis of a proximal barbule, an arrangement previously reported in the barbules of extant and more recent fossil bird feathers.
“Other melanosome imprints are aligned along the longitudinal axis of a proximal barbule (Fig. 3c,d), an arrangement previously reported in the barbules of extant and more recent fossil bird feathers 14,15 .”
From New evidence on the colour and nature of the isolated Archaeopteryx feather (2012) · cites this paper as [15]
Similar fossilized feather traces have been found to preserve colour-imparting organelles called melanosomes.
“Similar fossilized feather traces have been found to preserve colour-imparting organelles called melanosomes 12-16 , which consist of melanins, the most widespread and abundant pigments in animals and found in the feathers of all birds (excluding albinos) 4 .”
From New evidence on the colour and nature of the isolated Archaeopteryx feather (2012) · cites this paper as [15]
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- Authors
- Vinther, J., Briggs, D. E. G., Prum, R. O., & Saranathan, V.
- Affiliations
- Yale University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Briggs, Derek E.G
- Venue
- Biology Letters
- Publisher
- The Royal Society
- Published
- 2008-07-08
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 522-525
- ISSN
- 1744-9561 (ISSN-L)
- 1744-957X
- PMC
- PMC2610093
- OpenAlex
- W2056510498
- Cited by
- 204
- References
- 17
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 7.10
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Biology Letters (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Fossil Insects in Amber
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › melanin and skin pigmentation
- Keywords
- fossil feathers, feather colour, melanosomes, eumelanin, Crato Formation, Lower Cretaceous, theropod dinosaurs, feather-degrading bacteria, extinct birds
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Birds, Color, Feathers, Fossils, Melanins, Melanosomes, Dinosaurs
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