Controversial prehistoric egg identified as the last 'demon death duck'

The only nearly intact shell of Genyornis has been found. It was discovered by N. Spooner and collected by Gifford H. Miller, South Australia. The presence of four holes in the egg indicates that it was preceded by a sweeping follicle. Credit: Gifford H. Miller

Researchers identify ancient bird behind giant prehistoric egg

Years of scientific debate has been resolved in Australia about which animal was the true mother of the giant primordial egg. In a recent study, scientists from the University of Copenhagen Their global colleagues showed that the egg could only be the last in a series of rare megafauna known as “death devil ducks”.

Consider living next to a bird that weighs 200 kg, is 2 m long and has a large beak. This is the situation of the first people to settle in Australia about 65,000 years ago.

Junior Newtonianthe last member of the “demon duck”, co-existed there with our ancestors as a species of the now-extinct duck-like bird family.

Illustration of Genyornis Newtoni being hunted by a giant lizard in Australia about 50,000 years ago. Credit: Illustration provided by artist Peter Trossler.

According to a recent study by experts from the University of Copenhagen and an international team of colleagues, flightless birds laid eggs the size of melons, perhaps to please early humans who likely collected and consumed them as their primary protein source. This research was just published in the magazine Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Since experts first discovered 50,000-year-old pieces of eggshell 40 years ago, large eggs have been the subject of debate. It was not known at this time whether the eggs really belonged to the “demon duck” family, also known as dromornithids.

Since 1981, the identity of egg-laying birds has been a source of controversy for scientists around the world. While some have suggested Junior NewtonianOthers believe that the missiles from Progora Birds, members of the extinct group of megapod species. Progora They are “chicken-like birds” that weigh only five to seven kilograms and have large feet.

Too few eggshells, according to proponents Progora A bird, for a bird the size of Junior Newtonian to place them.

“However, our analysis of the protein sequence of eggs clearly shows that eggshells cannot derive from megacodes and Progora Josephine Stiller, assistant professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Copenhagen and one of the researchers behind the new study explains.

“They can only be Genyornis. Because of this, we have stopped this long and heated discussion about the origin of these oocytes,” added co-author and University of Copenhagen professor Matthew Collins, whose field of research is evolutionary genetics.

On the right is an emu egg and on the left is an egg, which the researchers say came from the demon Duck of Doom, Junior Newtonian. The final egg weighs about 1.5 kilograms, which is more than 20 times the weight of an average chicken egg. Credit: Trevor Worthy

Select protein analysis and parent gene database

In the Wallaroo and Woodpoint dunes, South Australia, scientists examined protein from eggshells.

The protein was broken down into smaller pieces by bleaching before the researchers assembled the pieces in the right order and used artificial intelligence to study their structure. The protein sequence gave them a set of genetic “codes” that they could compare to the genes of more than 350 bird species currently available.

femur of Junior Newtonian (Left) And on your right is the sphenoid bone which is a bit smaller than the dome. Credit: Trevor Worthy

“We used our data from the B10K project, which currently contains the genomes of all major bird lineages, to reconstruct bird groups that are most likely to have come from extinct birds. It becomes very clear that the egg is not laid by megacode, and therefore does not belong ProgoraJosephine Stiller explains.

In doing so, researchers have solved the mystery of the origin of the ancient Australian egg and provided us with new knowledge about evolution.

“We are pleased to have conducted a multidisciplinary study in which we have used protein sequence analysis to explain animal evolution,” concludes Matthew Collins.

Eggs were consumed by early humans in Australia

Previous research on broken eggs showed that the shells were cooked and then thrown into a fire pit. The burning of the surface of the eggshell is confirmation of this, proving that the first Australians devoured eggs about 65,000 years ago.

Eggshell fragments from an ancient nest in South Australia. The mass of eggshells collected in one square meter is equivalent to about 12 whole eggs. Credit: Gifford H. Miller

Perhaps the first Australians to harvest eggs from nests, which, hypothetically, may have caused the extinction of Jenornis 47,000 years ago.

For more information on the research, see The first Australians to eat the giant eggs of a large flightless bird.

Reference: “Ancient Proteins Solve Genyornis Eggshell Identity Debate” by Beatrice Demarche, Josephine Stiller, Alicia Greeley, Megan McKee, Yuan Ding, Tom Gilbert, Julia Clarke, Lucas J. Maggie, Joji Zhang, Michael Pons, Matthew James Collins, and Gifford Miller, May 24, 2022, Available here. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2109326119

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