The Sinornithosaurus files Back

Illustrations

Species list

  • S. millenii (Xu, Wang & Wu, 1999) type species

    • Name : Sinornithosaurus Species : millenii
    Pronounced : SIEN-or-nith-o-SAWR-us Pronounced : mih-LEN-ee- ie
    Meaning : "Chinese bird lizard" Meaning : "of the millennium"
    Length :
    1 meter (3 feet)     		Weight :
    Diet : carnivor = meat eater Period : Lower Cretaceous
    Superorder :
    Dinosauria     		Order :
    Saurischia     		Suborder :
    Theropoda     		Family :
    Dromaeosauridae
    Discovered by:
    		When Discovered:
    		Described by:
    Xu Xing, Xiao-Lin Wang & Xiao-Chun Wu     		When Described:
    1999
    Fossils found in : Yixian Formation, Liaoning province, China
    Charactistics and things of interest:
    This dinosaur appears to have had a coat of 'filaments', some are calling down-like fibers, early proto-feathers and is one of half a dozen of what are becomming called 'feathered' dinosaurs from this part of the world. In the journal Nature the three Chinese researchers tell us that the shoulder girdle of this dinosaur allowed a wide range of up-and-down motion — like flapping. Most dinosaurs shoulders enabled much more limited movement of the upper arms. Its arms are proportionally very long, like 80% as long as it's legs. Walked on two legs and had a long tail.
    Similar to: Debate and Controversy: What is the relationship between birds and (this) dinosaurs. Does this fossil show 'real' feathers or are the 'filaments' connective tissue beneath the skin. Does this somehow provide evidence for a "Ground Up" model of flight evolution?

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    Last Updated on 01/01/2008

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