 |
| Illustration of a winged dinosaur fossil findings in China. (Doc. Dinostar Co Ltd) |
Chinese scientists discovered a new dinosaur species, with wings like a bat. This finding is expected to reveal how the world of dinosaurs evolved into birds.
Based on the fossil specimen, which was found in Hebei Province decade ago, scientists estimated that bird-like dinosaur has existed at least at 160 million years ago.
As reported by CNN of the journal Nature on Thursday (30/4), winged creature that weighs only 230 grams and length 63 cm.
Xu Xing, a paleontologist from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of China, who wrote the study, told CNN that the fossil creature has underscored the complexity of evolution.
Named by Xi qi, which means "strange wings" in China, Xu said the fossil was the earliest dinosaurs which have the capacity to fly. Although expected, the creature was less successful fly.
You see, unlike the bird-like dinosaur, wings Xi qi was made of the membrane, as well as bats. So instead of a collection of feathers.
"He did not (evolved) into birds that we see now, he tried but failed," said Xing. "It was an experiment that failed."
Although there are wings, is not yet known whether the creature could flap its like birds or just use it to slide only.
Fossil is now kept in a museum in Shandong Province. The next step is to try to find the fossil of a creature similar to understand more about his ability to fly. (CNN Indonesia)
0 comments