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Newly Described Flightless Early Bird Species with Dinosaur Features Uncovered in China
Paleontologists in China have recently identified a unique bird species from the late Jurassic period. This flightless bird, known as Yuezhuornis yangyuanensis, possessed teeth and formidable toenails reminiscent of small carnivorous dinosaurs.
Yuezhuornis yangyuanensis resided in what is now China approximately 150 million years ago during the late Jurassic epoch. This fascinating discovery was made in the Zhenghe Fauna, a rich fossil site that has yielded some of the earliest bird species, including Baminornis and Jen Hernis.
Dr. Ming Wang, a paleontologist at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, expressed astonishment at the unusual combination of characteristics observed in Yuezhuornis yangyuanensis.
The holotype specimen of Yuezhuornis yangyuanensis was unearthed in the Nanyuan Formation near Yangyuan Village in Fujian Province, China. While this bird exhibited bird-like hip and hind leg structures, it also possessed serrated teeth and a specialized second toe with a sharp claw, features associated with predatory dinosaurs like dromaeosaurs and troodontids.
Dr. Wang remarked that the presence of predatory features alongside avian traits underscores the complexity of early bird evolution, challenging previous assumptions.
Based on evolutionary analysis, Yuezhuornis yangyuanensis represents one of the earliest branches of the bird lineage, closely related to iconic birds like Archaeopteryx. Its limb proportions and forelimb structure align it with land-dwelling birds while showcasing distinct characteristics of non-avian theropods.
The team’s findings, documented in a paper published in the prestigious journal Nature, shed light on the early ecological diversity of birds during the Jurassic period.
Source: Shu et al. (2026). “Jurassic flightless birds reveal early ecological diversity of birds.” Nature, 658, 690-697. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-10972-z.
Source: www.sci.news
