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Discovery of Norellraptor barsboldi in China

Overview

Paleontologists have identified a new species of small, feathered dinosaur, Norellraptor barsboldi, in the Jiufotang Formation of Liaoning, China. The nearly complete 57-centimeter skeleton dates back to the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 120 to 145 million years ago.

Research published in Nature Communications by an international team, including scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Italy, suggests that the ability to fly may have evolved through convergent evolution rather than a single linear path. The specimen, described as a microraptorine predator that was approximately three years old at the time of death, shares roughly 30 percent of certain anatomical adaptations with avialans.

However, researchers determined that the evolutionary paths to flight were distinct. The sequence of bone transformations and morphological flight characteristics differs significantly between the two groups, indicating that the anatomical adaptations required for flight occurred through “parallel experimentation” rather than being inherited from a single common ancestor.

Further analysis of the exceptionally well-preserved fossil highlights that the species featured four sets of feathered limbs and a long, plumaged tail. This discovery challenges previous theories regarding the simultaneous development of flight capabilities in prehistoric birds and microraptorines, reinforcing the idea that flight-related characteristics evolved independently in different groups.

Entities

Jiufotang Formation · Norellraptor barsboldi · Nature Communications · China · Liaoning

Timeline

  1. [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    New four-winged dinosaur species discovered in China

    The discovery of the four-winged dinosaur Norellraptor barsboldi in China suggests that flight-related traits may have evolved independently in different dinosaur groups.

  2. [CULTURE] 5 sources
    China discovery of Norellraptor barsboldi suggests independent evolution of flight

    The discovery of the feathered dinosaur Norellraptor barsboldi in China suggests that flight evolved independently in dinosaurs and birds through convergent evolution.

  3. [CULTURE] 4 sources
    Norellraptor barsboldi discovery provides clues to flight evolution

    The discovery of the feathered dinosaur Norellraptor barsboldi in China suggests that birds and microraptorines evolved flight capabilities independently.

Sources

dnoticias.pt · elsumario.com · family.se · generation-nt.com · lavanguardia.com · letribunaldunet.fr · meuvalordigital.com.br · nlc.org.uk · presse-citron.net · sapo.pt

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history