Mosaic evolution in an asymmetrically feathered troodontid dinosaur with transitional features

Xing Xu; Philip Currie; Michael Pittman; Lida Xing; Qingjin Meng; Junchang Lü; Dongyu Hu; Congyu Yu

doi:10.1038/ncomms14972

Nature Communications (May 2017)

Mosaic evolution in an asymmetrically feathered troodontid dinosaur with transitional features

Xing Xu,
Philip Currie,
Michael Pittman,
Lida Xing,
Qingjin Meng,
Junchang Lü,
Dongyu Hu,
Congyu Yu

Affiliations

Xing Xu: Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Philip Currie: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta
Michael Pittman: Department of Earth Sciences, Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory, The University of Hong Kong
Lida Xing: School of the Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences
Qingjin Meng: Beijing Museum of Natural History
Junchang Lü: Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences
Dongyu Hu: Paleontological Institute & Key Laboratory for Evolution of Past Life in Northeast Asia, Ministry of Land and Resources, Shenyang Normal University
Congyu Yu: College of Life Sciences, Peking University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms14972
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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Troodontids were theropod dinosaurs closely related to birds. Here, Xu and colleagues describe a new, feathered troodontid species,Jianianhualong tengi, dating from the Lower Cretaceous period in China that provides insight into troodontid mosaic evolution and paravian feathering.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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