Saturday, March 04, 2006

Dapingfangornis, New Fossil Bird Part 2

From The People’s Daily On-line:

Dr. Li Li from the Institute of Mesozoic Paleontology of Western Liaoning of the Shenyang Normal University and her colleagues discovered the fossil about 16 meters underground. The well-preserved remains include a complete skeleton with a skull. The total length of the bird fossil is 216 mm and its head is 28 mm with a high crista, said Li, adding the bird was named as Dapingfangornis after the place where it was found.

The long tail feathers of the bird indicated it was male and its toothed jaws and strong ungula feet proved that it was small and carnivorous, said Li. In addition, many fragmentary skeletons of fish and small reptiles were preserved under the feet of the Dapingfangornis, indicating that the bird liked eating animals alive, said Li.

Li's findings have been published in the February English version of Acta Geologica Sinica, a monthly by the Geological Society of China.

NOTE: I've added Acta Geologica Sinica to the journal list at the right.