Oklahoma State University

Dr. Ashley M. Burkett

GEOL1003: The Story of Dinosaurs

Notes with Gaps: Feathers

How are feathers used in BIRDS today?

How might feathers have been used in DINOS?

1
All about feathers
Not only do different parts of feathers serve different purposes, but a variety of feathers
exist for a specific reason, let alone just to provide color to the bird.

Circle the important terms discussed in lecture ^^

Terms:
Definitions:
Contour - A. Unlike other feathers that are attached to
muscle for movement, these feathers are
attached to nerve endings and send
Semiplume- - messages to the brain that give information
about the placement of feathers for flight,
Filoplume - insulation, and preening.
B. insulate by trapping air
C. Include Tail and Flight feathers used for
Bristle - control during flight
D. found underneath contour feathers and
are used for insulation
Downy - E. found around the mouth of insect-eating
birds where they act as a funnel also found
around the eyes where they work like
eyelashes

How does this relate to Dino’s?

-feather shape and structure

2
-coloration

Bird colors maybe even more colorful than humans can see!

Dino coloration

Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to look for ____________________. Scientists can then
proceed with geochemical analyses to determine colors present in these cells of other
animals. However, not all colors are created by these cells and techniques do not exist for
the colors _______________ and _____________.

How do we know? To look at dinosaur feathers we need:

1. Feather impressions to discern shape e.g., use
2. Organic Residue to determine the color
3. Comparisons with Modern Analogues

All of this provides us with an understanding of dinosaur behavior.

3
What Dinosaurs had feathers?
Avian
● Define-
● Examples-

Non-Avian
● Define-
● Examples-

Dinosaur Color Reconstructions

4
5