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Serikornis
''Serikornis'' is a genus of small, feathered anchiornithid dinosaur from the Upper Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation of Liaoning, China. It is represented by the type species ''Serikornis sungei''. Discovery ''Serikornis'', first described in August 2017, is noteworthy for the variety of feather types represented in its holotype, a single complete articulated skeleton preserved on a slab along with extensive integumentary structures. The specimen's feather imprints include wispy bundles along the neck, short and symmetrical vaned feathers on the arms, and both fuzz and long pennaceous feathers on its hindlimbs. While its anatomy and integument share features with birds as well as derived dromaeosaurs such as ''Microraptor'', cladistic analysis places the genus within the cluster of feathered dinosaurs near the origin of avians. It was unlikely to be a flier. Its name means "Ge Sun's silk bird", a reference to the plumulaceous-like body covering evident in the fossil. The specime ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Serikornis
''Serikornis'' is a genus of small, feathered anchiornithid dinosaur from the Upper Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation of Liaoning, China. It is represented by the type species ''Serikornis sungei''. Discovery ''Serikornis'', first described in August 2017, is noteworthy for the variety of feather types represented in its holotype, a single complete articulated skeleton preserved on a slab along with extensive integumentary structures. The specimen's feather imprints include wispy bundles along the neck, short and symmetrical vaned feathers on the arms, and both fuzz and long pennaceous feathers on its hindlimbs. While its anatomy and integument share features with birds as well as derived dromaeosaurs such as ''Microraptor'', cladistic analysis places the genus within the cluster of feathered dinosaurs near the origin of avians. It was unlikely to be a flier. Its name means "Ge Sun's silk bird", a reference to the plumulaceous-like body covering evident in the fossil. The specime ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anchiornithidae
Anchiornithidae ("near birds") is a family of eumaniraptorans which could be the basalmost family of birds (in the general sense) in the clade Avialae. Anchiornithids have been classified at varying positions in the maniraptoran tree, with some scientists classifying them as a distinct family, a basal subfamily of Troodontidae, members of Archaeopterygidae, or an assemblage of dinosaurs that are an evolutionary grade within Avialae or Paraves. Description Anchiornithids share many general features with other Paraves and early avialans. They were small and lightly-built feathered carnivores, similar in biology to ''Archaeopteryx'', early dromaeosaurids like ''Microraptor'', and particularly troodontids. They are almost exclusively known from Late Jurassic Chinese deposits, although ''Ostromia'' was discovered in Germany and ''Yixianosaurus'' (a putative member of the group only known from forelimbs) is believed to hail from the early Cretaceous. Most had long legs, arms, and ha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tiaojishan Formation
The Tiaojishan Formation is a geological formation in Hebei and Liaoning, People's Republic of China, dating to the middle-late Jurassic period (Bathonian- Oxfordian stages). It is known for its exceptionally preserved fossils, including those of plants, insects and vertebrates. It is made up mainly of pyroclastic rock interspersed with basic volcanic and sedimentary rocks. Previously, the Tiaojishan Formation was grouped together with the underlying Haifanggou Formation (also known as the Jiulongshan Formation) as a single "Lanqi Formation." The Tiaojishan Formation forms a key part of the Yanliao Biota assemblage, alongside the Haifanggou Formation. Age Using Argon–argon dating, Wang and colleagues in 2005 dated part of the Tiaojishan Formation to about 160 million years ago, the beginning of the Oxfordian stage, the first stage of the Upper Jurassic epoch. In 2006, a study by Liu and colleagues used U-Pb zircon dating to conclude that the Tiaojishan Formation correlates wi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anchiornis
''Anchiornis'' is a genus of small, four-winged Paraves, paravian dinosaurs, with only one known species, the type species ''Anchiornis huxleyi'', named for its similarity to modern birds. The Latin name ''Anchiornis'' derives from a Greek word meaning "near bird", and ''huxleyi'' refers to Thomas Henry Huxley, a contemporary of Charles Darwin. ''Anchiornis'' fossils have been found only in the Tiaojishan Formation of Liaoning Province, Liaoning, China, in rocks dated to the Late Jurassic, about 160 million years ago. It is known from hundreds of specimens, and given the exquisite preservation of some of these fossils, it became the first Mesozoic dinosaur species for which almost the entire life appearance could be determined, and an important source of information on the early evolution of birds. Description ''Anchiornis huxleyi'' was a small, Bipedalism, bipedal Theropoda, theropod dinosaur with a triangular skull bearing several details in common with Dromaeosauridae, drom ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sericornis
''Sericornis'' is a genus of small, mainly insectivorous birds, the scrubwrens in the family Acanthizidae. Despite the similarity in shape and habits, the true wrens (Troglodytidae) are a quite unrelated group of passerines. The genus previously contained additional species but following the publication of a molecular phylogenetic study of the scrubwrens in 2018, several species were moved to the resurrected genus ''Aethomyias'' and the yellow-throated scrubwren was placed in its own monotypic genus ''Neosericornis''. The genus contains eight species: * Large-billed scrubwren, ''Sericornis magnirostris'' * Tropical scrubwren or Beccari's scrubwren, ''Sericornis beccarii'' - sometimes included in ''S. magnirostris'' * Large scrubwren, ''Sericornis nouhuysi'' * Spotted scrubwren, ''Sericornis maculatus'' - previously included in ''S. frontalis'' * Tasmanian scrubwren or brown scrubwren, ''Sericornis humilis'' - previously included in ''S. frontalis'' * Atherton scrubwren, ''Se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eumaniraptora
Paraves are a widespread group of theropod dinosaurs that originated in the Middle Jurassic period. In addition to the extinct dromaeosaurids, troodontids, anchiornithids, and possibly the scansoriopterygids, the group also contains the avialans, among which are the over ten thousand species of living birds. Early 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. Description Like other theropods, all paravians are bipedal, walking on their two hind legs. The teeth of primitive paravians were curved and serrated, but not blade-like except in some specialized species such as ''Dromaeosaurus albertensis''. The serrations on the front edge of dromaeosaurid and troodontid teeth were very small and fine, while the back edge had serrations which were very large and hooked. Most of the earliest paravian groups were carnivorous, though some smaller species (especially am ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Xiaotingia
''Xiaotingia'' is a genus of anchiornithid theropod dinosaur from Middle Jurassic or early Late Jurassic deposits of western Liaoning, China, containing a single species, ''Xiaotingia zhengi''. Discovery ''Xiaotingia'' is known from the holotype STM 27-2, an articulated and almost complete skeleton including the skull. It was probably collected in the Linglongta area, Jianchang, from the Tiaojishan Formation. Etymology ''Xiaotingia'' was first named by Xu Xing, You Hailu, Du Kai and Han Fenglu in 2011 and the type species is ''Xiaotingia zhengi''. The generic name and specific name together honour paleontologist Zheng Xiaoting. Description ''Xiaotingia'' lived around 155 million years ago which preceded ''Archaeopteryx'' that lived around 144 million years ago. ''Xiaotingia'' was morphologically similar to ''Archaeopteryx'' and was the size of a hen. It was about 60 cm long and weighed an estimated 0.82 kg. It was a small feathered dinosaur that lived in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pedopenna
''Pedopenna'' (meaning "foot feather") is a genus of small, feathered, maniraptoran dinosaur from the Daohugou Beds in China. It is possibly older than ''Archaeopteryx'', though the age of the Daohugou Beds where it was found is debated. A majority of studies suggest that beds probably date from between the late Middle Jurassic (168 million years ago) and early Late Jurassic Period (164-152 million years ago). The name ''Pedopenna'' refers to the long pennaceous feathers on the metatarsus; ''daohugouensis'' refers to the locality of Daohugou, where the holotype was found. ''Pedopenna daohugouensis'' probably measured 1 meter (3 ft) or less in length, but since this species is only known from the hind legs, the actual length is difficult to estimate. ''Pedopenna'' was originally classified as a paravian, the group of maniraptoran dinosaurs that includes both deinonychosaurs and avialans (the lineage including modern birds), but some scientists have classified it as a tru ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paraves
Paraves are a widespread group of theropod dinosaurs that originated in the Middle Jurassic period. In addition to the extinct dromaeosaurids, troodontids, anchiornithids, and possibly the scansoriopterygids, the group also contains the avialans, among which are the over ten thousand species of living birds. Early 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. Description Like other theropods, all paravians are bipedal, walking on their two hind legs. The teeth of primitive paravians were curved and serrated, but not blade-like except in some specialized species such as ''Dromaeosaurus albertensis''. The serrations on the front edge of dromaeosaurid and troodontid teeth were very small and fine, while the back edge had serrations which were very large and hooked. Most of the earliest paravian groups were carnivorous, though some smaller species (especially a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Archaeopteryx
''Archaeopteryx'' (; ), sometimes referred to by its German name, "" ( ''Primeval Bird''), is a genus of bird-like dinosaurs. The name derives from the ancient Greek (''archaīos''), meaning "ancient", and (''ptéryx''), meaning "feather" or "wing". Between the late 19th century and the early 21st century, ''Archaeopteryx'' was generally accepted by palaeontologists and popular reference books as the oldest known bird (member of the group Avialae). Older potential avialans have since been identified, including ''Anchiornis'', ''Xiaotingia'', and ''Aurornis''. ''Archaeopteryx'' lived in the Late Jurassic around 150 million years ago, in what is now southern Germany, during a time when Europe was an archipelago of islands in a shallow warm tropical sea, much closer to the equator than it is now. Similar in size to a Eurasian magpie, with the largest individuals possibly attaining the size of a raven, the largest species of ''Archaeopteryx'' could grow to about in len ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Deinonychosauria
Deinonychosauria is a clade of paravian dinosaurs which lived from the Late Jurassic to the Late Cretaceous periods. Fossils have been found across the globe in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, South America, and Antarctica,Case, J.A., Martin, J.E., and Reguero, M. (2007). "A dromaeosaur from the Maastrichtian of James Ross Island and the Late Cretaceous Antarctic dinosaur fauna." Pp. 1–4 in Cooper, A., Raymond, C., and Team, I.E. (eds.), ''Antarctica: a Keystone in a Changing World – Online Proceedings for the Tenth International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences'', U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007-1047, SRP 083. U.S. Geological Survey, Washington, D.C. with fossilized teeth giving credence to the possibility that they inhabited Australia as well. This group of dinosaurs are known for their sickle-shaped toe claws and features in the shoulder bones. Deinonychosauria is commonly defined as all dinosaurs more closely related to dromaeosaurids (such as ''Dein ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Troodontidae
Troodontidae is a clade of bird-like theropod dinosaurs. During most of the 20th century, troodontid fossils were few and incomplete and they have therefore been allied, at various times, with many dinosaurian lineages. More recent fossil discoveries of complete and articulated specimens (including specimens which preserve feathers, eggs, embryos, and complete juveniles), have helped to increase understanding about this group. Anatomical studies, particularly studies of the most primitive troodontids, like ''Sinovenator'', demonstrate striking anatomical similarities with '' Archaeopteryx'' and primitive dromaeosaurids, and demonstrate that they are relatives comprising a clade called Paraves. Description Troodontids are a group of small, bird-like, gracile maniraptorans. All troodontids have unique features of the skull, such as large numbers of closely spaced teeth in the lower jaw. Troodontids have sickle-claws and raptorial hands, and some of the highest non-avian enceph ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
