Guest solius symbiosus Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 A primitive heterodontosaurid has been discovered in Early Cretaceous sediments in China with proto feathers, and it is the first non-theropod found with this characteristic, indicating a possible common ancestor to the saurischian and ornithischians evolved feathers. The abstract: An Early Cretaceous heterodontosaurid dinosaur with filamentous integumentary structures Xiao-Ting Zheng, et. al. Ornithischia is one of the two major groups of dinosaurs, with heterodontosauridae as one of its major clades. Heterodontosauridae is characterized by small, gracile bodies and a problematic phylogenetic position1, 2. Recent phylogenetic work indicates that it represents the most basal group of all well-known ornithischians3. Previous heterodontosaurid records are mainly from the Early Jurassic period (205–190 million years ago) of Africa1, 3. Here we report a new heterodontosaurid, Tianyulong confuciusi gen. et sp. nov., from the Early Cretaceous period (144–99 million years ago) of western Liaoning Province, China. Tianyulong extends the geographical distribution of heterodontosaurids to Asia and confirms the clade's previously questionable temporal range extension into the Early Cretaceous period. More surprisingly, Tianyulong bears long, singular and unbranched filamentous integumentary (outer skin) structures. This represents the first confirmed report, to our knowledge, of filamentous integumentary structures in an ornithischian dinosaur. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v458/...ature07856.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl O'Cles Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Anyone know if any feather impressions have been found on dino's outside of china? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Anyone know if any feather impressions have been found on dino's outside of china? The sites yielding strata from the terrestrial Mesozoic that were deposited in a manner which would preserve feather details are pretty rare. China has a couple, but Bavaria has provided clues too. Here's an interesting site: http://www.dinosaur-world.com/feathered_di...d_dinosaurs.htm "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommabetts Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Very interesting. Auspex, love the poster of the feathered dinos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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