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Four-winged dinosaurs from China

Author

Listed:
  • Xing Xu

    (Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Zhonghe Zhou

    (Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xiaolin Wang

    (Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xuewen Kuang

    (Tianjin Museum of Natural History)

  • Fucheng Zhang

    (Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xiangke Du

    (People's Hospital, Beijing University)

Abstract

Although the dinosaurian hypothesis of bird origins is widely accepted, debate remains about how the ancestor of birds first learned to fly. Here we provide new evidence suggesting that basal dromaeosaurid dinosaurs were four-winged animals and probably could glide, representing an intermediate stage towards the active, flapping-flight stage. The new discovery conforms to the predictions of early hypotheses that proavians passed through a tetrapteryx stage.

Suggested Citation

  • Xing Xu & Zhonghe Zhou & Xiaolin Wang & Xuewen Kuang & Fucheng Zhang & Xiangke Du, 2003. "Four-winged dinosaurs from China," Nature, Nature, vol. 421(6921), pages 335-340, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:421:y:2003:i:6921:d:10.1038_nature01342
    DOI: 10.1038/nature01342
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    Cited by:

    1. Alfio Alessandro Chiarenza & Anthony R Fiorillo & Ronald S Tykoski & Paul J McCarthy & Peter P Flaig & Dori L Contreras, 2020. "The first juvenile dromaeosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from Arctic Alaska," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(7), pages 1-30, July.

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