Feathered Dinosaurs: Shenzhouraptor

Shenzhouraptor fossil. Shenzhouraptor was a prehistoric bird that resembled the famed Archaeopteryx. But even though it still had a long reptilian tail, Shenzhouraptor had evolved a greater flying ability.

The specimen is edentulous, its forelimb is distinctly longer than its hind limb, the tail is composed of over 20 caudals, the furcula is U-shaped, and flight feathers exceed torso length.  These characters express a genuine ability for flight, representing a missing link between theropod dinosaurs and birds.

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