Scientist recently announced the discovery of a new prehistoric species. The fossil of the creature was recently unearthed by fossil-hunters in Eastern China and some people are calling it the missing link between dinosaurs and birds.
The dinobird, which has been named Aurornis xui, is believed to have existed 160 million years ago. It had a beak, claws, a long dinosaur-like tail, and was the size of pheasant.
Before the discovery of Aurornis xui, the oldest prehistoric bird recorded was called the Archaeopteryx. It was believed to be about 150 million years old but it was much more like a bird than a dinosaur. This new dinobird Aurornis xui had more primitive bones and its fossil suggests that its feathers were too small for it to fly.
Up until recently, scientist disagreed on whether the Archaeopteryx was a dinosaur or a bird. It was eventually decided that the Archaeopteryx was a dinosaur-like bird and not just a dinosaur. From then on the Archaeopteryx became a sort of guideline for scientists who were deciding whether other fossils were of birds or dinosaurs.
Since the Archaeopteryx is used to define what is and isn’t a bird, this new creature, which is about 10 million years older than the Archaeopteryx, cannot currently be labeled a bird.
Let us know what you think. Does the fossil of Aurornis xui look more like a dinosaur or a bird?
(Photograph: Thierry Hubin/IRSNB)