Dinosaurs: Sinornithosaurus

 

Sinornithosaurus (Chinese Bird-Lizard)

 

Sinornithosaurus was a feathered raptor that lived in China. This is a very important fossil because it clearly shows the feathers on this member of the family that includes Velociraptor and Dromaeosaurus. It was a small, quick, and agile hunter that probably ate small dinosaurs, lizards, and reptiles. It did not have wings and its feathers were probably used for keeping it warm, for showing off, or to help identify it to its friends.

Sinornthosaurus shows a number of very bird-like features; its shoulder is designed so that it can be moved in the same way that a bird flaps its wings and a number of pelvic features are similar to those found in birds. The feather-like filaments seem to cover the entire body of the animal. Since this is a basal member of the dromaeosauridae, it has caused a re-evaluation of the evolutionary process of later dromaeosaurids.

 

Pronounced: sign-or-nith-o-saw-rus Name Means: "Chinese Bird-Lizard" Length: 3 ft.(1 meter) Height: 18 inches (50 cm) Weight: 20 pounds (9 kg) Diet: Carnivore (Meat) Time: Early Cretaceous - 128 million years ago Habitat:  Fossils Found: Asia

 

Tags: How big was Sinornithosaurus, Sinornithosaurus size, where does Sinornithosaurus live, how tall are Sinornithosaurus, what does Sinornithosaurus mean, Sinornithosaurus, Sinornithosaurus facts