Jurassic
Scansoriopteryx
Scansoriopteryx heilmanni
The catalogue presents Scansoriopteryx as a carnivore member of Scansoriopterygidae that lived during the Jurassic, between 165.0–155.0 MYA (Jurássico Médio–Tardio, Formação Daohugou) Ma. Its estimated range is 0.15–0.20 m in length and 0.03–0.05 kg in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Daohugou Beds, Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia, China. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Scansoriopteryx, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Czerkas and Yuan (2002).
The PBDB places it in Scansoriopterygidae, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Scansoriopterygidae.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Scansoriopterygidae
In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range runs from the Barremian to the Aptian.
The PBDB catalogues 1 occurrence, with material from the Yixian Formation (1). Provenance: China.
The catalogue records the holotype as CAGS02-IG-gausa-2/DM 607 and the type locality as “Daohugou Beds, Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia, China”.
- CAGS02-IG-gausa-2/DM 607
- Daohugou Beds, Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia, China
The catalogue's reference measurements are 0.15–0.20 m in length and 0.03–0.05 kg in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 0.15–0.20 m
- 0.03–0.05 kg
The record gathers 2 bibliographic references registered in the PBDB, listed below.
Where it lived
Fossil occurrences on today’s map and in the tectonic reconstruction.
Positions reconstructed by PBDB/GPlates, not observed; this is not an exact habitat map.
Artistic 3D reconstruction
There is no approved species-specific 3D model yet. Generic anatomy will not be presented as if it were evidence.
Physical Specifications
- Length
- 0.15–0.20 m
- Weight
- 0.03–0.05 kg
- Period
- Jurassic
- Time range
- 165.0–155.0 MYA (Jurássico Médio–Tardio, Formação Daohugou) Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 2002 · Daohugou Beds, Inner Mongolia, China
- Described by
- Czerkas and Yuan
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Saurischia
- Family
- Scansoriopterygidae
- Genus
- Scansoriopteryx
- Species
- S. heilmanni
Data status
Taxonomic name matched to PBDB and checked on 2026-08-08.
Taxonomic linkage does not automatically validate size, mass, behaviour or appearance.
- Type specimen
- CAGS02-IG-gausa-2/DM 607
- Type locality
- Daohugou Beds, Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia, China