Species
Microraptor zhaoianus
Microraptor zhaoianusAlso known as Four-Winged Dinosaur
Microraptor was an agile, crow-sized hunter equipped with asymmetrical flight feathers on both its forelimbs and hindlegs. Fossilized melanosomes reveal a glossy, iridescent black plumage akin to a modern starling or raven. It darted through temperate Cretaceous canopies, using long tail feathers for aerodynamic steering while snapping up early birds, lizards, and fish.
FeatheredCarnivorous
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyEnantiornithe birds, Small teleost fish, Lacertilian lizards
Predators
- Sinocalliopteryx gigas
- Larger theropod dinosaurs
- Pterosaurs
ThreatsExtinction during the Cretaceous period
HabitatsTemperate forests and lacustrine wetlands of Early Cretaceous East Asia
Life spanEstimated 5–15 years
Classification
- FamilyDromaeosauridae
- SpeciesMicroraptor zhaoianus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct prehistoric species known exclusively from fossil remains.
Responsible observation
- Museum Study: Examine holotype slabs in Beijing or Liaoning museums to observe preserved feather vanes.
- Literature Review: Compare biomechanical flight studies analyzing biplane versus monoplane gliding models.
Neighbor Morosaurus millenii / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Emily Willoughby (e.deinonychus@gmail.com, http://emilywilloughby.com) / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Same Family Laikayiu / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Fred Wierum, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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