H.J. Ruiz – Avian101

Microraptor (Greek, μίκρος, mīkros: “small”; Latin, raptor: “one who seizes”) is a genus of small, four-winged dromaeosaurid dinosaurs. Numerous well-preserved fossil specimens have been recovered from Liaoning, China. They date from the early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation (Aptian stage), 120 million years ago.

Like Archaeopteryx, Microraptor provides important evidence about the evolutionary relationship between birds and dinosaurs. Microraptorhad long pennaceous feathers that formed aerodynamic surfaces on the arms and tail but also, surprisingly, on the legs. This led paleontologist Xu Xing in 2003 to describe it as a “four-winged dinosaur” and to speculate that it may have glided using all four limbs for lift. Two species have been named, M. zhaoianus and M. gui, though further study has suggested that all of the specimens belong to a single species, which is properly called M. zhaoianus. Cryptovolans pauli, another four-winged dromaeosaur, may also be a species ofMicroraptor or a synonym of M. zhaoianus.

Illustration by © H.J. Ruiz

Microraptor was among the most abundant non-avialan dinosaurs in its ecosystem, and is represented by more fossils than any other dromaeosaurid, with possibly over 300 fossil specimens represented across various museum collections.

The holotype of Microraptor gui, IVPP V 13352 under UV light. Different filters were employed for parts A and B, hence the difference in color and appearance. A also is labeled to indicate the preserved feathers (grey arrows) and the ‘halo’ around the specimen where they appear to be absent (black arrows) as well as phosphatised tissues (white arrows). Scale bars are 5 cm in both A and B

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