Scansoriopteryx
Scansoriopteryx heilmanni
Scansoriopteryx ("climbing wing") is a genus of maniraptoran dinosaur. Described from only a single juvenile fossil specimen found in Liaoning, China, Scansoriopteryx is a sparrow-sized animal that shows adaptations in the foot indicating an arboreal (tree-dwelling) lifestyle. It possessed an unusual, elongated third finger which may have supported a membranous wing, much like the related Yi qi. The type specimen of Scansoriopteryx also contains the fossilized impression of feathers.
Most researchers regard this genus as a synonym of Epidendrosaurus, with some preferring to treat Scansoriopteryx as the junior synonym, though it was the first name to be validly published.
- Family
- Scansoriopterygidae
- Order
- Saurischia
- Period
- Jurassic (165.0–155.0 MYA (Jurássico Médio–Tardio, Formação Daohugou) Ma)
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Length
- 0.15–0.20 m
- Weight
- 0.03–0.05 kg
- Type locality
- Daohugou Beds, Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia, China
- Holotype
- CAGS02-IG-gausa-2/DM 607
- PBDB
- txn:162571