Protarchaeopteryx
{{Short description|Extinct genus of dinosaurs}}
{{Italic title}}
{{speciesbox
| display_parents = 2
| fossil_range = Early Cretaceous, {{Fossil range|124.6}}
| image = Protarchaeopteryx-Geological Museum of China.jpg
| image_caption = Holotype, Geological Museum of China
| genus = Protarchaeopteryx
| parent_authority = Ji & Ji, 1997
| species = robusta
| authority = Ji & Ji, 1997
}}
Protarchaeopteryx (meaning "before Archaeopteryx" although it is from the Cretaceous and Archaeopteryx is from the Jurassic) is a genus of turkey-sized feathered theropod dinosaur from China.Ji, Q., and Ji, S. (1997). "Protarchaeopterygid bird (Protarchaeopteryx gen. nov.) – fossil remains of archaeopterygids from China." Chinese Geology, 238: 38–41. Known from the Jianshangou bed of the Yixian Formation, it lived during the early Aptian age of the Early Cretaceous, approximately 124.6 million years ago.Zhou, Z. (2006). "Evolutionary radiation of the Jehol Biota: chronological and ecological perspectives." Geological Journal, 41: 377–393. It was probably a herbivore or omnivore, although its hands were very similar to those of small carnivorous dinosaurs. It appears to be one of the most basal members of the Oviraptorosauria, closely related to Incisivosaurus,Paul G.S. (2010), The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs, Princeton University Press, pp. 146–145{{Cite journal|last=Cau|first=Andrea|date=2020-02-25|title=The body plan of Halszkaraptor escuilliei (Dinosauria, Theropoda) is not a transitional form along the evolution of dromaeosaurid hypercarnivory|journal=PeerJ|language=en|volume=8|pages=e8672|doi=10.7717/peerj.8672|pmid=32140312|pmc=7047864|issn=2167-8359|doi-access=free}} or a taxon slightly less closely related to birds than oviraptorosaurs were.{{Cite journal|last1=Wang|first1=Min|last2=O’Connor|first2=Jingmai K.|last3=Xu|first3=Xing|last4=Zhou|first4=Zhonghe|date=May 2019|title=A new Jurassic scansoriopterygid and the loss of membranous wings in theropod dinosaurs|url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1137-z|journal=Nature|language=en|volume=569|issue=7755|pages=256–259|doi=10.1038/s41586-019-1137-z|pmid=31068719 |bibcode=2019Natur.569..256W|s2cid=148571099|issn=1476-4687|url-access=subscription}}{{Cite journal|last1=Hartman|first1=Scott|last2=Mortimer|first2=Mickey|last3=Wahl|first3=William R.|last4=Lomax|first4=Dean R.|last5=Lippincott|first5=Jessica|last6=Lovelace|first6=David M.|date=2019-07-10|title=A new paravian dinosaur from the Late Jurassic of North America supports a late acquisition of avian flight|journal=PeerJ|volume=7|pages=e7247|doi=10.7717/peerj.7247|issn=2167-8359|pmc=6626525|pmid=31333906 |doi-access=free }}
Description
File:Protarchaeopteryx size 01.jpg
File:Protarchaeopteryx-swamp.png
The holotype and only known specimen of Protarchaeopteryx is NGMC 2125, a partial skeleton.{{Cite journal|last1=Qiang|first1=Ji|last2=Currie|first2=Philip J.|last3=Norell|first3=Mark A.|last4=Shu-An|first4=Ji|date=June 1998|title=Two feathered dinosaurs from northeastern China|journal=Nature|language=En|volume=393|issue=6687|pages=753–761|doi=10.1038/31635|bibcode=1998Natur.393..753Q|s2cid=205001388|issn=1476-4687|url=http://doc.rero.ch/record/31829/files/PAL_E1436.pdf}}
Protarchaeopteryx had long legs, and could have been a quick runner. It had well-developed, vaned feathers extended from a relatively short tail; the hands were long and slender, and had three fingers with sharp, curved claws. Its bones were hollow and bird-like, and it possessed a wishbone.{{cite book |editor=Palmer, D.|year=1999 |title= The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals|publisher= Marshall Editions|location=London|page= 107|isbn= 1-84028-152-9}} At around {{convert|1|m|ft}} in length, it would have been larger than Archaeopteryx. In 2016, Gregory S. Paul gave a lower estimate of {{convert|0.7|m|ft}} in length and {{convert|1.6|kg|lbs}} in body mass.{{Cite book|last=Paul|first=Gregory S.|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/985402380|title=The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs|year=2016|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-1-78684-190-2|oclc=985402380|pages=172}} Protarchaeopteryx also had symmetrical feathers on its tail. Since modern birds that have symmetrical feathers are flightless, and the skeletal structure of Protarchaeopteryx would not support flapping flight, it is assumed that it was flightless as well.Ji, Q., and Ji, S. (1997). "A Chinese archaeopterygian, Protarchaeopteryx gen. nov." Geological Science and Technology (Di Zhi Ke Ji), 238: 38–41. Translated By Will Downs Bilby Research Center Northern Arizona University January, 2001 It has been suggested that it could have had an arboreal lifestyle, jumping from tree limbs and using its forelimbs for a form of parachuting.Currie, P.J. (2004), Feathered dragons: studies on the transition from dinosaurs to birds, Indiana University Press, p. 184, plate 16.
See also
{{Portal|Dinosaurs}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://archive.today/20120524230627/www.dinoweb.narod.ru/protarchaeopteryx2.gif Diagram showing known pieces after Protarchaeopteryx]
- Life restoration
{{Oviraptorosauria}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q131778}}