In addition to its unique feathers, Jianianhualong also had what researchers refer to as a “mosaic” of features from earlier and later species of troodontids. These images of Jianianhualong tengi's tail clearly show its frond-like tail. Just as importantly, Jianianhualong could change the timeline for the evolution of feathers.
The paleontologists who investigated this new fossil, found in the Lower Cretaceous Jehol Group in China, a location known for its well-preserved specimens, explain in the paper that Jianianhualong appears to be a missing link between long-armed and short-armed troodontids. If these findings are accurate, Jianianhualong would be the oldest troodontid to have asymmetrical feathers. This simple anatomical feature, which was identified from fossilized imprints, suggests that the common ancestor of birds and troodontids is even older than was previously thought. Its most striking characteristic, the researchers wrote in Nature Communications on Tuesday, are its asymmetrical feathers- which are often associated with birds that can fly. This meter-long, bird-like dinosaur has features that could rewrite history. Paleontologists report that Jianianhualong tengi, which belongs to the family of bird-like dinosaurs known as a troodontids, lived about 125 million years ago. An international team of paleontologists recently discovered a new species of feathered dinosaur in China, and its physical characteristics are changing what we know about the evolution of flight.
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