Stable morphological types and mosaicism in the macroevolution of birds (Neornithes)

Modern orders of Neornithine birds are separated by distinct morphological gaps, hampering the development of particular models. of macroevolutionary transformations. However, recent decades have witnessed the discovery and extensive study of many fossil groups of birds, which shed light on the origin of modern higher taxa. These fossils further allow analyzing the whole process of the macroevolutionary change in this group of vertebrates during...