What is Sinosauropteryx?
Q: What is Sinosauropteryx?
A: Sinosauropteryx is a genus of non-avialan dinosaur that lived in China during the early Cretaceous period.
Q: What is unique about the fossilized impressions of Sinosauropteryx?
A: Sinosauropteryx is the first dinosaur found with the fossilized impressions of furry down or filamentous feathers.
Q: How do the filaments on Sinosauropteryx relate to modern birds?
A: The filaments on Sinosauropteryx resemble the down-like feathers of some modern flightless birds.
Q: Where were the Sinosauropteryx fossils found?
A: The fossils were from the famous Jehol biota of Sihetun, Liaoning Province, China, and represent an ancient lake bed.
Q: Is Sinosauropteryx considered a bird by most paleontologists?
A: No, most paleontologists do not consider Sinosauropteryx to be a bird because phylogenetically it lies far from the clade Aves.
Q: How small is Sinosauropteryx compared to other non-avian theropods?
A: Sinosauropteryx prima is among the smallest known non-avian theropods, with the type specimen measuring only 68 cm (27 in) in length, including a very long tail.
Q: What is the age of Sinosauropteryx?
A: Sinosauropteryx has been dated to 124.6–122 million years ago.
