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Palaeontology

An icon knocked from its perch

Nature volume 475, pages 458–459 (2011)Cite this article

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As sesquicentennial celebrations commemorate the discovery of Archaeopteryx as a historical symbol of evolution and the oldest fossil bird, new work shakes the dinosaur family tree — and our view of this icon. See Article p.465

The fossils of Xiaotingia were found in Liaoning Province, China, where so many other spectacular specimens of feathered dinosaurs and early birds have been discovered2. The precise provenance of the specimen is a little uncertain, because it was purchased from a dealer, but all indications are that it comes from the Tiaojishan Formation, which dates to the Late Jurassic, some 155 million years ago. The chicken-sized skeleton, splayed out on a slab of shale and surrounded by a halo of feather impressions, isn't as striking as the specimens of Archaeopteryx, but its constellation of subtle bony bumps and grooves makes Xiaotingia a game-changer.

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Figure 1: Archaeopteryx.

THE ROYAL SOCIETY

Figure 2: A cluster of feathered dinosaurs.

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  1. Lawrence M. Witmer is in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701, USA.,

    Lawrence M. Witmer

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  1. Lawrence M. Witmer
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Correspondence to Lawrence M. Witmer.

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Witmer, L. An icon knocked from its perch. Nature 475, 458–459 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/475458a

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