Anchiornis
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Anchiornis Temporal range: Late Jurassic, 160.89–160.25 Ma |
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| Life restoration | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Order: | Saurischia |
| Suborder: | Theropoda |
| Clade: | Avialae |
| Genus: |
†Anchiornis Xu et al., 2009 |
| Species: | †A. huxleyi |
| Binomial name | |
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Anchiornis huxleyi Xu et al., 2009 |
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Anchiornis is a genus of small, feathered, eumaniraptoran dinosaurs. The genus Anchiornis contains only the type species Anchiornis huxleyi. It was named in honor of Thomas Henry Huxley, an early proponent of biological evolution, and one of the first to propose a close evolutionary relationship between birds and dinosaurs. The generic name Anchiornis means "near bird", and its describers cited it as important in filling a gap in the transition between the body plans of birds and dinosaurs.
Anchiornis huxleyi fossils have been found in the Tiaojishan Formation of Liaoning, China, in rocks dated to the late Jurassic period (Oxfordian age), 160.89-160.25 million years ago.
Given the exquisite preservation of one of the animal's fossils, Anchiornis huxleyi became the first dinosaur species for which almost the entire life coloration could be determined.
Anchiornis huxleyi was a small, paravian dinosaur with a triangular skull bearing several details in common with dromaeosaurids and troodontids. Anchiornis had very long legs, usually an indication that they were strong runners. However, the extensive leg feathers indicate that this may be a vestigial trait, as running animals tend to have reduced, not increased, hair or feathers on their legs. The forelimbs of Anchiornis were also very long, similar to archaeopterygids.
The first fossil was recovered from the Yaolugou locality, Jianchang County, western Liaoning, China; the second, at the Daxishan locality of the same area. The deposits are lake sediment, and are of uncertain age. Radiological measurements indicate an early Late Jurassic age for them, between 160.89 and 160.25 million years ago.
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