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Eosinopteryx brevipenna
Eosinopteryx brevipenna is a small feathered dinosaur, 30 cm in length, from the early part of the Late Jurassic (approximately 160 million years ago) of northwestern China. It is known from a single, complete articulated skeleton with feathers. The original describers of this species suggested it shows a reduced plumage (covering of feathers) relative to other contemporary and closely related feathered dinosaurs, and that this might indicate a ground-dwelling, fast-running way of life.
Year | Name and author |
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2013 | Eosinopteryx brevipenna Godefroit et al. p. 2 figs. 1-2 |
2018 | Eosinopteryx brevipenna Cau and Madzia p. 8 |
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If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.
Reference | Diagnosis | |
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P. Godefroit et al. 2013 | A small paravian maniraptoran theropod that possesses the following osteological autapomorphies: a short snout, about 82% the length of the orbit; a lacrimal with a long posterior process participating in about half the length of the dorsal margin of the orbit and a vestigial anterior process; a short tail, composed of 20 caudal vertebrae, 2.7 times the length of the femur; chevrons reduced to small rod-like elements below the proximal 8th or 9th caudal; an ilium with a proportionally long, low and distally tapering postacetabular process (ratio ‘length/height at midlength’ = 5), and pedal unguals shorter than corresponding penultimate phalanges. The plumage of this taxon is characterized by the absence of rectrices (versus other paravians with preserved plumage) and feathers on metatarsus and pes (versus other troodontids with preserved plumage on the hindlimb). |