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Microraptorine
Microraptoria (Greek, μίκρος, ''mīkros'': "small"; Latin, ''raptor'': "one who seizes") is a clade of basal dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaurs. Definitive microraptorians lived during the Barremian to Aptian stages of the Early Cretaceous in China. Probable microraptorian ichnotaxon ''Dromaeosauriformipes'' was discovered from the Jinju Formation of South Korea, and some fragmentary Late Cretaceous paravian fossils in North America have been described as putative members of this clade. Many are known for long feathers on their legs and may have been semiarboreal powered fliers, some of which were even capable of launching from the ground.. Most microraptorians were relatively small; adult specimens of ''Microraptor'' range between ) and weigh up to , making them some of the smallest known non-avialan dinosaurs.Holtz, Thomas R. Jr. (2011) ''Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, Up-to-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages,'Winter 2010 Appendix./ref> Description Microrapto ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Hesperonychus
''Hesperonychus'' (meaning "western claw") is a genus of small paravian theropod dinosaur. It may be a dromaeosaurid or an avialan. There is one described species, ''Hesperonychus elizabethae''. The type species was named in honor of Dr. Elizabeth Nicholls of the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology who collected it as a student in 1982. It is known from fossils recovered from the Dinosaur Park Formation and possibly from the uppermost strata of the Oldman Formation of Alberta, dating to the Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous around . Description ''Hesperonychus'' is mainly known from one partial pelvic girdle, holotype specimen UALVP 48778, collected by Dr. Elizabeth Nicholls in Dinosaur Provincial Park in 1982. The fossil remained undescribed, however, until Nick Longrich and Phil Currie published on it in 2009. A number of very small toe bones discovered from the Dinosaur Park Formation and Oldman Formation, including "sickle claws", in the collection of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Dromaeosauriformipes
''Dromaeosauriformipes'' is an ichnogenus of probable microraptorine dromaeosaurid theropod from the Early Cretaceous (Albian) of South Korea. The type species, type and monotypic taxon, only ichnospecies is ''D. rarus'', representing the smallest known didactyl (two-toed) tracks of a dromaeosaurid. Discovery and naming ''Dromaeosauriformipes rarus'' is known from two trackways and isolated tracks found in the Jinju Formation with footprints around long. The ichnogenus is named in 2018 for its similarity in form when compared to ''Dromaeosauripus'', a larger dromaeosaurid ichnotaxon known from the same formation only 30 kilometers away, while the ichnospecific name ''rarus'' means "small and infrequently found." Prior to the formal naming of ''Dromaeosauriformipes'', the trackways were first noted in a 2016 Academic conference, conference Abstract (summary), abstracts as the smallest known didactyl dromaeosaurid footprints. The type locality Jinju Formation is dated to the lower ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Changyuraptor
''Changyuraptor'' is a genus of "four-winged", predatory dinosaurs. It is known from a single fossil specimen representing the species ''Changyuraptor yangi'', which was discovered from Early Cretaceous (125 million year old) deposits in Liaoning Province, China. ''C. yangi'' belongs to the group of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaurs called the Microraptoria. At the time of its discovery, ''C. yangi'' was the largest four-winged dinosaur known and among the largest Mesozoic flying paravians, volant true birds seldom approaching its size.Nicholas R. Longrich; David M. Martill; Brian Andres (2018). "Late Maastrichtian pterosaurs from North Africa and mass extinction of Pterosauria at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary". PLOS Biology. 16 (3): e2001663. Description Analysis of the fossil at the University of Cape Town, South Africa reveals that the specimen was a fully grown adult, approximately long and estimated to weigh , roughly the size of a turkey. These dimensions make ''Chan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Tianyuraptor
''Tianyuraptor'' is a genus of short-armed dromaeosaurid dinosaur ('running lizard'; a type of small dinosaur considered to be closely related to birds) that lived during the Early Cretaceous, about 122 million years ago. Its remains have been found in western Liaoning, China. It was similar to other dromaeosaurids found in Liaoning, with the exception of being somewhat more primitive. The type specimen, formally named in 2009, shows features not seen in previously known Northern Hemisphere (Laurasian) dromaeosaurids, but present in Southern Hemisphere (Gondwanan) species and early birds. Because of this, the scientists who first studied ''Tianyuraptor'' described it as a " transitional species", bridging the gap between northern and southern types of dromaeosaurid. ''Tianyuraptor'' also differs from previously known dromaeosaurids in that it possesses a relatively small furcula ("wishbone"), and unusually short forelimbs. Etymology The generic name of ''Tianyuraptor'' combi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Wulong Bohaiensis
''Wulong'' (meaning "dancing dragon") is a genus of microraptorine dromaeosaurid dinosaurs from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) Jiufotang Formation of China. The genus includes a single species, ''Wulong bohaiensis''. The skeletal remains, which include preserved feathers, represent a juvenile. Discovery The ''Wulong'' holotype specimen, DNHM D2933, was found by a farmer in layers of the fossil-rich Jiufotang Formation (Shangheshou locality) of Chaoyang, Liaoning Province, China. The fossil, housed at the Dalian Natural History Museum in Liaoning, consists of a complete, articulated specimen with preserved feathers. In 2014, Ashley William Poust analyzed the skeleton, naming it "Wulong bohaiensis" in a thesis. This name remained an invalid '' nomen ex dissertatione''. In 2020, Poust alongside his former advisor David Varricchio from Montana State University and Dalian paleontologists Gao Chunling, Wu Jianlin, and Zhang Fengjiao validly named and described the type species '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Zhongjianosaurus
''Zhongjianosaurus'' is a genus of dromaeosaurid belonging to the Microraptoria. Believed to hail from the Yixian Formation, specifically the middle of the Jehol Biota, it is the smallest known microraptorine thus far discovered and one of the smallest non-avian theropod dinosaurs. Description ''Zhongjianosaurus'' is distinguishable from other microraptorines in the following autapomorphies. Proportionally long ossified uncinate processes are fused to the dorsal ribs. A widely arched furcula is present with slender and posteriorly curved clavicular rami. The humeral proximal end is strongly offset medially from the humeral shaft. The internal tuberosity of the humeral proximal end is short. A large fenestra perforates the humeral deltopectoral crest. The humeral ulnar condyle is hypertrophied. The ulna is slightly longer than the humerus. The ulnar olecranon process has a mediolaterally pinched posterior margin. The ulnar distal end bends anteriorly and is strongly expanded l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Sinornithosaurus Dave NGMC91
''Sinornithosaurus'' (derived from a combination of Latin and Ancient Greek, Greek, meaning 'Chinese bird-lizard') is a genus of Feathered dinosaurs, feathered dromaeosaurid dinosaur from the early Cretaceous Period (geology), Period (late Barremian) of the Yixian Formation in what is now China. It was the fifth non–avian feathered dinosaurs, feathered dinosaur genera, genus discovered by 1999. The original specimen was collected from the Sihetun locality of western Liaoning. It was found in the Jianshangou beds of the Yixian Formation, dated to 124.5 million years ago. Additional specimens have been found in the younger Dawangzhangzi bed, dating to around 122 million years ago. Xu Xing described ''Sinornithosaurus'' and performed a phylogenetic analysis which demonstrated that it is basal, or primitive, among the dromaeosaurs. He has also demonstrated that features of the skull and shoulder are very similar to ''Archaeopteryx'' and other Avialae, avialans. Together these two fa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Dromaeosauridae
Dromaeosauridae () is a family of feathered coelurosaurian theropod dinosaurs. They were generally small to medium-sized feathered carnivores that flourished in the Cretaceous Period. The name Dromaeosauridae means 'running lizards', from Greek ('), meaning 'running at full speed', 'swift', and ('), meaning 'lizard'. In informal usage, they are often called raptors (after '' Velociraptor''), a term popularized by the film ''Jurassic Park''; several genera include the term "raptor" directly in their name, and popular culture has come to emphasize their bird-like appearance and speculated bird-like behavior. Dromaeosaurid fossils have been found across the globe in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and South America, with some fossils giving credence to the possibility that they inhabited Australia as well. The earliest body fossils are known from the Early Cretaceous (145–140 million years ago), and they survived until the end of the Cretaceous (Maastrichtian stage, 66 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Sinornithosaurus
''Sinornithosaurus'' (derived from a combination of Latin and Ancient Greek, Greek, meaning 'Chinese bird-lizard') is a genus of Feathered dinosaurs, feathered dromaeosaurid dinosaur from the early Cretaceous Period (geology), Period (late Barremian) of the Yixian Formation in what is now China. It was the fifth non–avian feathered dinosaurs, feathered dinosaur genera, genus discovered by 1999. The original specimen was collected from the Sihetun locality of western Liaoning. It was found in the Jianshangou beds of the Yixian Formation, dated to 124.5 million years ago. Additional specimens have been found in the younger Dawangzhangzi bed, dating to around 122 million years ago. Xu Xing described ''Sinornithosaurus'' and performed a phylogenetic analysis which demonstrated that it is basal, or primitive, among the dromaeosaurs. He has also demonstrated that features of the skull and shoulder are very similar to ''Archaeopteryx'' and other Avialae, avialans. Together these two fa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Jinju Formation
The Jinju Formation (), also known as the Dongmyeong Formation () in some literature is an Early Cretaceous geologic Formation (geology), formation in South Korea.Jinju Formation in the Paleobiology Database Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, although none have yet been referred to a specific genus. The depositional age of this formation spans from approximately 112.4 ± 1.3 to 106.5 million years ago (early Albian) based on detrital zircon U-Pb dating. It predominantly consists of black shale, with sandstone packets, deposited in a fluvial-lacustrine setting. A diverse Arthropoda, arthropod fauna, including freshwater arthropods, spiders, and insects, is known from the formation. Other notable fossils known from the formation include seve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Paraves
Paraves are a widespread group of theropod dinosaurs that originated in the Middle Jurassic period. In addition to the extinct dromaeosauridae, dromaeosaurids, troodontidae, troodontids, Anchiornithidae, anchiornithids, and possibly the scansoriopterygidae, scansoriopterygids, the group also contains the Avialae, avialans, which include diverse extinct taxa as well as the over 11,000 species of living birds. Basal members of Paraves are well known for the possession of an enlarged claw on the second digit of the foot, which was held off the ground when walking in some species. A number of differing scientific interpretations of the relationships between paravian taxa exist. New fossil discoveries and analyses make the classification of Paraves an active subject of research. Description Like other theropods, all paravians are bipedal, walking on their two hind legs. The teeth of basal paravians were curved and serrated, but not blade-like except in some specialized species, suc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Jiufotang Formation
The Jiufotang Formation () is an Early Cretaceous geological formation in Chaoyang, Liaoning which has yielded fossils of feathered dinosaurs, primitive birds, pterosaurs, and other organisms (see Jehol Biota). It is a member of the Jehol group. The exact age of the Jiufotang has been debated for years, with estimates ranging from the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous. New Uranium–lead dating, uranium-lead dates reveal the formation is deposited in the Aptian stage of the Early Cretaceous. Fossils of ''Microraptor'' and ''Jeholornis'' are from the Jiufotang. Fossil content Choristoderans Fish Mammaliamorphs Several mammaliamorph specimens have been found from the Jiufotang, but only a few have been formally described and named. Ornithischians Pterosaurs Saurischians A large titanosaur is present in the formation. Enantiornithines Euornithines Non-ornithothoracean theropods Crustaceans Plants See also * Yixian Formation * List of dinosa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
