Species
Changyuraptor yangi
Changyuraptor yangiSporting exceptionally long pennaceous feathers on both its forelimbs and hindlegs, Changyuraptor yangi was a four-winged aerial predator of Early Cretaceous temperate woodlands. Its tail feathers alone stretched up to 30 centimeters, functioning as an aerodynamic brake and stabilizing rudder to ensure controlled, safe landings given its relatively large body. Roaming the dense canopy and forest floor, it pursued small vertebrates with sharp recurved teeth and agile grasping claws.
CarnivorousFeathered
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyEarly mammals, Lizards, Fish
Predators
- Larger theropods
- Large pterosaurs
ThreatsPrehistoric ecological shifts and mass volcanic events
HabitatsTemperate forests and volcanic lake basins
Life spanUnknown (estimated 10–15 years)
Classification
- FamilyDromaeosauridae
- SpeciesChangyuraptor yangi
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct prehistoric species; safe to study from fossil remains.
Responsible observation
- Museum Examination: Inspect fossil casts under raking light to see detailed feather quill impressions.
- Tail Analysis: Compare the aerodynamic tail length to smaller relatives like Microraptor.
Neighbor (c) Art by Velizar Simeonovski. Published by Quanguo Li, Julia A. Clarke, Ke-Qin Gao, Jennifer A. Peteya, Matthew D. Shawkey, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative David W. E. Hone, Helmut Tischlinger, Xing Xu, Fucheng Zhang / CC BY 2.5 · cc-by
Close Relative Laikayiu / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Image unavailableSame Family
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