I'm not really sure where this topic should go, I'm just confused with this question, have been looking all over the place, but nowhere on the internet do I see a clear definition of what proto feathers really are.. I see a lot of texts explaining that proto feathers are used to explain something, but what are they ??
I have seen definitions describing them as:
The first feather(y) structures, evolved from scales.
Ancient feather structures.
Feathers without the Rachis.
Feathers that aren't really feathers.
I could probably go on, but yeah, that question has me confused and I hope I'm asking this in the right place.