Editing Protarchaeopteryx

{{Short description|Extinct genus of dinosaurs}}
{{Italic title}}
{{speciesbox
| display_parents = 2
| fossil_range = [[Early Cretaceous]], {{Fossil range|124.6}}
| image = Protarchaeopteryx-Geological Museum of China.jpg
| image_caption = Holotype, [[Geological Museum of China]]
| genus = Protarchaeopteryx
| parent_authority = Ji & Ji, 1997
| species = robusta
| authority = Ji & Ji, 1997
}}

'''''Protarchaeopteryx'''''  (meaning "before ''[[Archaeopteryx]]''" although it is from the [[Cretaceous]] and ''Archaeopteryx'' is from the [[Jurassic]]) is a [[genus]] of [[Turkey (bird)|turkey]]-sized feathered [[theropod]] [[dinosaur]] from [[China]].<ref name=protarchaedescription>Ji, Q., and Ji, S. (1997). "Protarchaeopterygid bird (''Protarchaeopteryx'' gen. nov.)&nbsp;– fossil remains of archaeopterygids from China." ''Chinese Geology'', '''238''': 38–41.</ref> Known from the Jianshangou bed of the [[Yixian Formation]], it lived during the early [[Aptian]] age of the Early Cretaceous, approximately 124.6&nbsp;million years ago.<ref name="zhou2006">Zhou, Z. (2006). "Evolutionary radiation of the Jehol Biota: chronological and ecological perspectives." ''Geological Journal'', '''41''': 377–393.</ref> It was probably a [[herbivore]] or omnivore, although its hands were very similar to those of small carnivorous dinosaurs. It appears to be one of the most [[basal (phylogenetics)|basal]] members of the [[Oviraptorosauria]], closely related to ''[[Incisivosaurus]]'',<ref>Paul G.S. (2010), ''The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs'', [[Princeton University Press]], pp. 146–145</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Cau|first=Andrea|date=2020-02-25|title=The body plan of Halszkaraptor escuilliei (Dinosauria, Theropoda) is not a transitional form along the evolution of dromaeosaurid hypercarnivory|journal=PeerJ|language=en|volume=8|pages=e8672|doi=10.7717/peerj.8672|pmid=32140312|pmc=7047864|issn=2167-8359|doi-access=free}}</ref> or a taxon slightly less closely related to birds than oviraptorosaurs were.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Wang|first1=Min|last2=O’Connor|first2=Jingmai K.|last3=Xu|first3=Xing|last4=Zhou|first4=Zhonghe|date=May 2019|title=A new Jurassic scansoriopterygid and the loss of membranous wings in theropod dinosaurs|url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1137-z|journal=Nature|language=en|volume=569|issue=7755|pages=256–259|doi=10.1038/s41586-019-1137-z|pmid=31068719 |bibcode=2019Natur.569..256W|s2cid=148571099|issn=1476-4687|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Hartman|first1=Scott|last2=Mortimer|first2=Mickey|last3=Wahl|first3=William R.|last4=Lomax|first4=Dean R.|last5=Lippincott|first5=Jessica|last6=Lovelace|first6=David M.|date=2019-07-10|title=A new paravian dinosaur from the Late Jurassic of North America supports a late acquisition of avian flight|journal=PeerJ|volume=7|pages=e7247|doi=10.7717/peerj.7247|issn=2167-8359|pmc=6626525|pmid=31333906 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

==Description==
[[File:Protarchaeopteryx size 01.jpg|thumb|left|''Protarchaeopteryx'' size, compared to a human]]
[[File:Protarchaeopteryx.jpg|thumb|Skeletal reconstruction of known material]]
[[File:Protarchaeopteryx-swamp.png|thumb|Speculative life restoration]]
The [[holotype]] and only known specimen of ''Protarchaeopteryx'' is NGMC 2125, a partial skeleton.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Qiang|first1=Ji|last2=Currie|first2=Philip J.|last3=Norell|first3=Mark A.|last4=Shu-An|first4=Ji|date=June 1998|title=Two feathered dinosaurs from northeastern China|journal=Nature|language=En|volume=393|issue=6687|pages=753–761|doi=10.1038/31635|bibcode=1998Natur.393..753Q|s2cid=205001388|issn=1476-4687|url=http://doc.rero.ch/record/31829/files/PAL_E1436.pdf}}</ref>

''Protarchaeopteryx'' had long legs, and could have been a quick runner. It had well-developed, vaned feathers extended from a relatively short tail; the hands were long and slender, and had three fingers with sharp, curved claws. Its bones were hollow and bird-like, and it possessed a [[furcula|wishbone]].<ref name="EoDP">{{cite book |editor=Palmer, D.|year=1999 |title= The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals|publisher= Marshall Editions|location=London|page= 107|isbn= 1-84028-152-9}}</ref> At around {{convert|1|m|ft}} in length, it would have been larger than ''Archaeopteryx''.<ref name="EoDP" /> In 2016, Gregory S. Paul gave a lower estimate of {{convert|0.7|m|ft}} in length and {{convert|1.6|kg|lbs}} in body mass.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Paul|first=Gregory S.|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/985402380|title=The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs|year=2016|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-1-78684-190-2|oclc=985402380|pages=172}}</ref> ''Protarchaeopteryx'' also had symmetrical feathers on its tail. Since modern birds that have symmetrical feathers are flightless, and the skeletal structure of ''Protarchaeopteryx'' would not support flapping flight, it is assumed that it was flightless as well.<ref name="ji&ji1997">Ji, Q., and Ji, S. (1997). "A Chinese archaeopterygian, ''Protarchaeopteryx'' gen. nov." ''Geological Science and Technology (Di Zhi Ke Ji)'', '''238''': 38–41. Translated By Will Downs Bilby Research Center Northern Arizona University January, 2001</ref> It has been suggested that it could have had an [[arboreal]] lifestyle, jumping from tree limbs and using its forelimbs for a form of parachuting.<ref name="Currie2004">[[Philip J. Currie|Currie, P.J.]] (2004), ''Feathered dragons: studies on the transition from dinosaurs to birds'', [[Indiana University Press]], p. 184, plate 16.</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Dinosaurs}}
* [[Timeline of oviraptorosaur research]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://archive.today/20120524230627/www.dinoweb.narod.ru/protarchaeopteryx2.gif Diagram showing known pieces after ''Protarchaeopteryx'']
*[[c:File:Protarchaeopteryx-swamp.png|Life restoration]]

{{Oviraptorosauria}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q131778}}

[[Category:Oviraptorosauria]]
[[Category:Dinosaur genera]]
[[Category:Barremian dinosaurs]]
[[Category:Yixian Formation]]
[[Category:Fossil taxa described in 1997]]
[[Category:Dinosaurs of China]]
[[Category:Feathered dinosaurs]]