'Fluffy feathered poodle from hell': Biggest ever winged dinosaur discovered in northeastern China
An ancient feathered creature dug up in northeastern China is the largest winged dinosaur ever found, researchers say.
The fossil of the prehistoric raptor is so well preserved scientists have been able to reconstruct its impressive plumage, from the tiny feathers on its head and neck, to the larger quill pen-like feathers that sprout from its tail and substantial wings.
A cousin of the velociraptor made famous by the movies, the carnivore measuring two metres in length lived 125 million years ago in the region where dense forests became home to some of the first flowering plants.
Named , the new species shared the land with a huge variety of other creatures. Dinosaurs were abundant, among them , the "feathered tyrant". Beneath their feet lived salamanders, amphibians and plenty of mammals, including the badger-sized beast, , which dined on dead dinosaurs.
The near complete skeleton of the feathered raptor was found in sedimentary rock that formed in ancient lake beds in Liaoning province. The Yixian formation there has become a treasure trove of exquisitely preserved dinosaurs, many of which sported feathers.
"It's the biggest dinosaur that has ever been found with wings," said Steve Brusatte, a paleontologist at Edinburgh University. "In general it is very bird-like, but it's big, and has these very short arms with full-blown wings."
Brusatte dubbed it a "fluffy feathered poodle from hell".
Details are published in the journal .
The specimen poses a conundrum for researchers, because despite its impressive wings, the animal was probably incapable of flight. Brusatte said their function was a mystery, but they might have been used in sexual displays, just as peacocks parade their tail feathers to court peafowls. Another possibility is that it used its wings to protect its eggs.
Brusatte said wings might have evolved for reasons other than flight, before they helped creatures take to the skies.
"We used to think pretty much anything that had wings was flying, but that's not so clear now," he said.
