中国首次发现真正会飞的“恐龙”——中华神州鸟(新属新种)

Discovery of an avialae bird--Shenzhouraptor sinensis gen.et sp.nov.--from China

摘要: 记述了辽宁义县早白垩世九佛堂组的一件初鸟类(Avialae)化石,其嘴里无牙,前肢明显长于后肢,尾巴由20多节尾椎组成,叉骨呈U字形,飞行羽毛超过了身体的长度。各种特征表明,新发现的初鸟类真正具有了飞行能力,代表了恐龙向鸟类演化过程中的又一中间环节。正式将其命名为中华神州鸟(Shenzhouraptorsinensisgen.etsp.nov.)。

Abstract: This paper deals with an avialae bird from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation in Yixian County,western Liaoning,China.This new specimen is characterized by no teeth in its mouth,the fore-limbs longer than the hind-limbs,a long tail with more than20caudal vertebrae,U-shaped wishbone,and remiges longer than the total length of ulna and manus.It is sure that the new avialae bird is really capable of flight ,representing a missing link between theropod dinosaurs and birds.It is described in detail and named as Shenzhouraptor sinensis gen.et sp.nov.herein.