Tag Archive for 'Pennaraptora'

This fossil of Anchiornis huxleyi exhibits nearly complete wings and preservation of feather coloration, allowing for a detailed identification of wing morphology. Image credit: Kiat et al., doi: 10.1038/s42003-025-09019-2.

Jurassic Dinosaur Fossils Shed Light on Evolution of Flight

Dec 18, 2025 by News Staff

Paleontologists have examined the 160-million-year-old fossils of Anchiornis huxleyi, a species of non-avian theropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic Tiaojishan...

This scene depicts an oviraptorid dinosaur called Citipati being startled while resting on a sand dune. The creature raises its arms in a threat display, which reveals its wrists, highlighting the small migrated pisiform carpal (blue X-ray view) bone. Image credit: Henry S. Sharpe.

Key Wrist Bone Appeared in Bird Ancestors Millions of Years Earlier than Previously Thought

Jul 14, 2025 by News Staff

A team of paleontologists from Yale University and Stony Brook University made this discovery after examining fossils from two species of bird-like dinosaurs...

Diversity of avian flush-pursuers, prey with simple neural escape pathways, and the Caudipteryx robot used in behavioral experiments. Image credit: Park et al., doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-50225-x.

Small Feathered Dinosaurs Flapped Their Proto-Wings to Scare Hiding Prey: Study

Jan 29, 2024 by Enrico de Lazaro

Numerous non-avian dinosaurs possessed pennaceous feathers on their proto-wings and tail. Their functions remain unclear. Seoul National University researcher...

Primary sequential molt in Microraptor; the arrow indicates the location of the molt-related gap within the primary feathers. Scale bar - 10 cm. Image credit: Y. Kiat & J.K. O’Connor, doi: 10.1038/s42003-023-05048-x.

Rarity of Molt Evidence in Feathered Dinosaurs Suggests Annual Molt Evolved Later among Flying Birds

Jul 6, 2023 by Enrico de Lazaro

Feathers are a primitive trait among pennaraptoran dinosaurs, which today are represented by living birds, the only clade of dinosaurs to survive the end-Cretaceous...