A new raptorial dinosaur with exceptionally long feathering provides insights into dromaeosaurid flight performance

Gang Han, Luis M. Chiappe (), Shu-An Ji, Michael Habib, Alan H. Turner, Anusuya Chinsamy, Xueling Liu and Lizhuo Han
Additional contact information
Gang Han: Paleontological Center, Bohai University
Luis M. Chiappe: Dinosaur Institute, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Boulevard
Shu-An Ji: Paleontological Center, Bohai University
Michael Habib: University of Southern California, Health Sciences Campus
Alan H. Turner: Health Science Center, T8 (040), School of Medicine, Stony Brook University
Anusuya Chinsamy: University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3
Xueling Liu: Paleontological Center, Bohai University
Lizhuo Han: Paleontological Center, Bohai University

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Microraptorines are a group of predatory dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaurs with aerodynamic capacity. These close relatives of birds are essential for testing hypotheses explaining the origin and early evolution of avian flight. Here we describe a new ‘four-winged’ microraptorine, Changyuraptor yangi, from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota of China. With tail feathers that are nearly 30 cm long, roughly 30% the length of the skeleton, the new fossil possesses the longest known feathers for any non-avian dinosaur. Furthermore, it is the largest theropod with long, pennaceous feathers attached to the lower hind limbs (that is, ‘hindwings’). The lengthy feathered tail of the new fossil provides insight into the flight performance of microraptorines and how they may have maintained aerial competency at larger body sizes. We demonstrate how the low-aspect-ratio tail of the new fossil would have acted as a pitch control structure reducing descent speed and thus playing a key role in landing.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5382

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