Unusual Bird-like Dinosaur Discovered in China
2023-09-13
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1About 148 to 150 million years ago, a strange chicken-sized and bird-like dinosaur with long legs and arms much like wings lived in southeastern China.
2Its unusual body suggests it was either a fast runner or lived near water.
3Scientists said last week they had unearthed in the Fujian area the fossil of a dinosaur they named Fujianvenator prodigiosus.
4They say it lived during the time in Earth's history called the Jurassic Period.
5The new dinosaur find provides more information about an important stage in how birds developed, or evolved, the researchers say.
6The question of whether the dinosaur should be called a bird depends on how one defines a bird, said study leader Min Wang.
7He is a paleontologist at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
8Asked for a word to describe Fujianvenator, Wang answered, "I would say 'bizarre.' Fujianvenator is far from similar to any modern birds."
9Birds evolved from a grouping of dinosaurs known as theropods in the late Jurassic.
10The oldest known bird, Archaeopteryx, dates to around 150 million years ago in Germany.
11Fujianvenator is a member of a grouping called avialans that includes all birds and their closest non-bird dinosaur relatives, Wang said.
12The fossil was discovered last October.
13It is mostly complete but lacks the animal's head and part of its feet.
14That makes it hard for scientists to suggest what it ate and how it lived.
15Fujianvenator's lower leg bone - the tibia - was twice as long as its upper leg bone - the femur.
16These sizes are exceptional among theropods.
17The theropod group includes all the meat-eating dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus.
18Wang said that Fujianvenator did have wings, but it is not clear if it could fly.
19Wang said, if it did fly it probably did not fly well, based on its bone structure.
20Wang said the fossil did not include feathers.
21But, the animal's closest relatives and almost all bird-like theropods have feathers. Many dinosaurs had feathers, also.
22Wang said, "It would not be a surprise if Fujianvenator had feathers ."
23Based on its long legs, the researchers suggested it lived in two possible ways - either as a fast runner or near water, similar to birds like cranes or herons.
24Wang has an opinion on the mystery: "I would put my money on runner," the scientist said.
25I'm Gregory Stachel.
1About 148 to 150 million years ago, a strange chicken-sized and bird-like dinosaur with long legs and arms much like wings lived in southeastern China. Its unusual body suggests it was either a fast runner or lived near water. 2Scientists said last week they had unearthed in the Fujian area the fossil of a dinosaur they named Fujianvenator prodigiosus. They say it lived during the time in Earth's history called the Jurassic Period. 3The new dinosaur find provides more information about an important stage in how birds developed, or evolved, the researchers say. 4The question of whether the dinosaur should be called a bird depends on how one defines a bird, said study leader Min Wang. He is a paleontologist at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. 5Asked for a word to describe Fujianvenator, Wang answered, "I would say 'bizarre.' Fujianvenator is far from similar to any modern birds." 6Birds evolved from a grouping of dinosaurs known as theropods in the late Jurassic. The oldest known bird, Archaeopteryx, dates to around 150 million years ago in Germany. 7Fujianvenator is a member of a grouping called avialans that includes all birds and their closest non-bird dinosaur relatives, Wang said. 8The fossil was discovered last October. It is mostly complete but lacks the animal's head and part of its feet. That makes it hard for scientists to suggest what it ate and how it lived. 9Fujianvenator's lower leg bone - the tibia - was twice as long as its upper leg bone - the femur. These sizes are exceptional among theropods. The theropod group includes all the meat-eating dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus. 10Wang said that Fujianvenator did have wings, but it is not clear if it could fly. Wang said, if it did fly it probably did not fly well, based on its bone structure. 11Wang said the fossil did not include feathers. But, the animal's closest relatives and almost all bird-like theropods have feathers. Many dinosaurs had feathers, also. 12Wang said, "It would not be a surprise if Fujianvenator had feathers ." 13Based on its long legs, the researchers suggested it lived in two possible ways - either as a fast runner or near water, similar to birds like cranes or herons. 14Wang has an opinion on the mystery: "I would put my money on runner," the scientist said. 15I'm Gregory Stachel. 16Will Dunham reported this story for Reuters. Gregory Stachel adapted the story for VOA Learning English. 17______________________________________________________ 18Words in This Story 19fossil - n. something (such as a leaf, skeleton, or footprint) that is from a plant or animal which lived in ancient times and that you can see in some rocks 20paleontology - n. the science that deals with the fossils of animals and plants that lived very long ago especially in the time of dinosaurs 21bizarre - adj. very unusual or strange 22feather - n. any one of the light growths that make up the outer covering of the body of a bird