Pygostyle
Pygostyle describes a skeletal condition in which the final few caudal vertebrae are fused into a single ossification, supporting the tail feathers and musculature. In modern birds, the rectrices attach to these. The pygostyle is the main component of the uropygium, a structure colloquially known as the parson's nose, pope's nose, or sultan's nose. This is the fleshy protuberance visible at the posterior end of a bird (most commonly a chicken or turkey) that has been dressed for cooking. It has a swollen appearance because it also contains the uropygial gland that produces preen oil.
Evolution
Pygostyles probably began to evolve very early in the Cretaceous period, perhaps 140-130 million years ago. The earliest known species to have evolved a pygostyle were members of the Confuciusornithidae. The structure provided an evolutionary advantage, as a completely mobile tail as found in species such as Archaeopteryx is detrimental to its use for flight control. Modern birds still develop longer caudal vertebrae in their embryonic state, which later fuse to form a pygostyle.
Podcasts:
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by The Boy from Oz Soundtrack
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by Everyone Everywhere
Bi-Coastal
by: The Boy from Oz SoundtrackYou used to live in New York City
Then you moved to L.A.
But you still miss the streets
Where you used to play
So you hurry on back there
(Even) Leave your pool and your car
Only to find you no longer belong
Fool don't you know what you are
Hit the streets at midnight
Still dancing after dawn
But something seems to be missing
Just what are you running from
Do you like your love in the dark
Or laid out in the sun
When you just can't make up your mind
Don't you know what you've become
Bi-coastal, miss the natural speed of the city
Bi-coastal, California's fine if you're pretty
Bi-coastal, when both are so much fun
Why do you have to pick one
You can always hear me singing
Oh say can you see
From the towers of Manhattan
To the hills of Beverly
All those girls in TV movies
All those boys on Broadway
When you can't make up your mind
You know you'd go either way
Bi-coastal, miss the natural speed of the city
Bi-coastal, California's fine if you're pretty
Bi-coastal, when both are so much fun
Why do you have to pick one