Publications

Published Technical Papers

First/Corresponding Authored

O’Connor JK*, Clark A, Kuo PC, Kiat Y, Fabbri M, Shinya A, Beek CV, Lu J, Wang M, Hu H*. Chicago Archaeopteryx informs on the early evolution of the avian bauplan. Nature, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08912-4 (2025). (Co-corresponding author)

Hu H*, Wang Y*, McDonald PG, Wroe S, O’Connor JK, Bjarnason A, Bevitt JJ, Yin X, Zheng X, Zhou Z, Benson RBJ. Earliest evidence for fruit consumption and potential seed dispersal by birds. eLife, 11: e74751 (2022). (Selected for “eLife Digest”)

Hu H*, Wang Y*, Fabbri M, O’connor JK, Mcdonald PG, Wroe S, Yin X, Zheng X, Zhou Z, Benson RBJ. Cranial osteology and palaeobiology of the Early Cretaceous bird Jeholornis prima (Aves: Jeholornithiformes). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 198(1), 93-112 (2022).

Hu H*, Bjarnason A, Benson RBJ. 3D geometric morphometric protocol – quantifying the morphology of living and extinct vertebrates. Bio-protocol, e1010664 (2021). (in Chinese)

Li Z, Wang W, Hu H, Wang M*, Yi H*, Lu J*. Reanalysis of Oculudentavis shows it is a lizard. Vertebrata PalAsiatica, 59(2), 95–105 (2020). (Co-first author)

Hu H*, O’Connor JK, Wang M, Wroe S, McDonald PG. New anatomical information of bohaiornithid Longusunguis and the presence of a plesiomorphic diapsid skull in Enantiornithes. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 18(18), 1481–1495 (2020).

Hu H*, O’Connor JK, McDonald PG, Wroe S. Cranial osteology of the Early Cretaceous Sapeornis chaoyangensis (Aves: Pygostylia). Cretaceous Research, 113, 104496 (2020).

Hu H*, Sansalone G, Wroe S, McDonald PG, O’Connor JK, Li Z, Xu X, Zhou Z*. Evolution of the vomer and its implications for cranial kinesis in Paraves. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(39), 19571–19578 (2019). (Selected for “In This Issue”)

Wang Y, Hu H*, O’Connor JK, Wang M, Xu X, Zhou Z, Wang X, Zheng X. A previously undescribed specimen reveals new information on the dentition of Sapeornis chaoyangensis. Cretaceous Research, 74, 1–10 (2017) (Corresponding Author)

Hu H*, O’Connor JK. First species of Enantiornithes from Sihedang elucidates skeletal development in Early Cretaceous enantiornithines. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 15(11), 909–926 (2017).

Author)

Hu H*, O’Connor JK, Zhou Z. A new species of Pengornithidae (Aves: Enantiornithes) from the Lower Cretaceous of China suggests a specialized scansorial habitat previously unknown in early birds. PLoS ONE, 10(6): e0126791 (2015).

Hu H*, Zhou Z, O’Connor JK. A subadult specimen of Pengornis and character evolution in Enantiornithes. Vertebrata PalAsiatica, 52, 77–97 (2014).

Hu H*. The designation of a neotype of Archaeopteryx lithographica. Vertebrata PalAsiatica, 50, 382–385 (2012). (in Chinese)

Coauthored

Serio M, Song XB, Hu H, Cai CY, Huang DY*. Paleocene amber from Sanshui Basin, Palaeoentomology, 008 (2), 125–128 (2025).

O’Connor JK*, Clark A, Herrera F, Yang X, Wang X, Zheng X, Hu H, Zhou Z. Direct evidence of frugivory in the Mesozoic bird Longipteryx contradicts morphological proxies for diet, Current Biology, 34 (19), 4559 – 4566 (2024).

Wu Y, Ge Y, Hu H, Stidham T, Li Z*, Alida MB, Zhou Z. Intra-gastric phytoliths provide evidence for folivory in basal avialans of the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota. Nature Communications, 14, 4558 (2023).

Clark A*, Hu H, Benson RBJ, O’Connor JK. Reconstructing the dietary habits and trophic positions of the Longipterygidae (Aves: Enantiornithes) using neontological and comparative morphological methods. PeerJ, 11:e15139 (2023).

O’Connor JK*, Stidham TA, Harris JD, Lamanna MC, Bailleul AM, Hu H, Wang M, You H. Avian skulls represent a diverse ornithuromorph fauna from the Lower Cretaceous Xiagou Formation, Gansu Province, China. Journal of Systematics and Evolution, 60(5), 1172–1198 (2022).

Wang J, Wible JR*, Guo B, Shelley SL, Hu H, Bi S*. A monotreme-like auditory apparatus in a Middle Jurassic haramiyidan. Nature, 590, 279–283 (2021).

Xing L*, O’Connor JK*, Chiappe LM, McKellar RC, Carroll N, Hu H, Bai M, Lei F. A New Enantiornithine Bird with Unusual Pedal Proportions Found in Amber. Current Biology, 29(14), 2396–2401 (2019).

O’Connor JK*, Erickson GM, Norell M, Bailleul AM, Hu H, Zhou Z. Medullary bone in an Early Cretaceous enantiornithine bird and discussion regarding its identiﬁcation in fossils. Nature Communications, 9, 5169 (2018).

O’Connor JK*, Wang XL, Sullivan C, Wang Y, Zheng XT, Hu H, Zhang XM, Zhou Z. First report of gastroliths in the Early Cretaceous basal bird Jeholornis. Cretaceous Research, 84, 200–208 (2018).

Wang M*, Hu H. A comparative morphological study of the jugal and quadratojugal in early birds and their dinosaurian relatives. The Anatomical Record, 300, 62–75 (2017).

O’Connor JK*, Zheng X, Hu H, Wang X, Zhou Z. The morphology of Chiappeavis magnapremaxillo (Pengornithidae: Enantiornithes) and a comparison of aerodynamic function in Early Cretaceous avian tail fans. Vertebrata Palasiatica 55(1), 41–58 (2017).

O’Connor JK*, Wang X, Zheng X, Hu H, Zhang X, Zhou Z. An enantiornithine with a fan-shaped Tail, and the evolution of the rectricial complex in early birds. Current Biology, 26(1), 114–119 (2016).

O’Connor JK*, Wang M, Hu H. A new ornithuromorph (Aves) with an elongate rostrum from the Jehol Biota, and the early evolution of rostralization in birds. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 14(11), 939–948 (2016).

Wang M*, Hu H, Li Z. A new small enantiornithine bird from the Jehol Biota, with implications for early evolution of avian skull morphology. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 14(6), 481–497 (2016).

Wang X, O’Connor JK, Zheng X, Wang M, Hu H, Zhou Z. Insights into the evolution of rachis dominated tail feathers from a new basal enantiornithine (Aves: Ornithothoraces). Biological Journal of The Linnean Society, 113, 805–819 (2014).

Public Outreach

Hu, H., Xing, L. & Wang, W. Chinese version of <How Zoologists Organize Things – The Art of Classification>. Imaginist, Beijing. (2024/01)

Qi, M. & Hu, H. Chinese version of <National Geographic The Photo Ark Wonders – Celebrating Diversity in the Animal Kingdom>. Phoenix Science Press, Jiangsu. (2023/07)

Liao, J. & Hu, H. Chinese version of <Fossils: A Photographic Field Guide>. Sanlian Press, Beijing. (2020/05)

Wang, W. & Hu, H. Chinese version of <National Geographic The Photo Ark Vanishing>. Phoenix Science Press, Jiangsu. (2019/11)

Hu, H. & Wang, W. Chinese version of <Birds of the Photo Ark>. Phoenix Science Press, Jiangsu. (2019/07)

Xing, L., Hu, H. & Wang, W. Chinese version of <Fossils: the key to the past>. Science and technology of China press, Beijing. (2017/01)

Xing. L., Hu, H. &Wang, W. Chinese version of <Evolution>. Beijing publishing group, Beijing. (2016/04)