Fig. 1 in Late Cretaceous neornithine from Europe illuminates the origins of crown birds

Fig. 1 | Digitally segmented skull of Asteriornis maastrichtensis. a–c, Left lateral view (a), right lateral view (b) and dorsal view (c) of the A. maastrichtensis skull.d, Comparison of retroarticular processes in lateral view of Anatalavis oxfordi (right side) and Asteriornis (left side,reflected). Selected synapomorphies are denoted with numbers (red, Neornithes;green, Galloanserae37–39): 1, bony mandibular symphysis;2, toothless beak;3, no coronoid bone;4, bicondylar mandibular process of quadrate;5, retroarticular process long, curving,strongly compressed mediolaterally;6, dorsally oriented internal articular process of mandible;7,maxillary process of premaxilla dorsoventrally deep and lateromedially compressed.Scale bars, 5 mm.