Protarchaeopteryx

Prot-ar-ke-op-teh-riks.
By John Stewart
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John Stewart

Paleoecologist

John Stewart is a distinguished paleoecologist whose work has significantly advanced our understanding of prehistoric ecosystems. With over two decades dedicated to unearthing fossils across Asia and Africa

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Stewart, J. (2012, November 17). Protarchaeopteryx. Prehistoric-wildlife. https://www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/species/protarchaeopteryx/

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Name

Protarchaeopteryx ‭(‬Before Archaeopteryx‭)‬.

Phonetic

Prot-ar-ke-op-teh-riks.

Named By

Q.‭ ‬Ji‭ & ‬S.-A.‭ ‬Ji‭ ‬-‭ ‬1997.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Dinosauria,‭ ‬Saurischia,‭ ‬Theropoda,‭ ‬Oviraptorosauria.

Diet

Carnivore.

Species

P.‭ ‬robusta‭

Size

Roughly estimated to have a reconstructed skeletal length of about‭ ‬80‭ ‬centimetres for the holotype individual.

Known locations

China,‭ ‬Liaoning Province‭ ‬-‭ ‬Yixian Formation.

Time Period

Barremian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Partial skull and post cranial skeleton.

In Depth

       Protarchaeopteryx was so named because of a superficial similarity to the genus Archaeopteryx.‭ ‬However today,‭ ‬Protarchaeopteryx is seen as a very primitive member of the Oviraptosauria,‭ ‬and one that bears a strong resemblance to the genus Incisivosaurus.‭ ‬Protarchaeopteryx was a small dinosaur,‭ ‬and one that probably specialised in hunting‭ ‬small animals like lizards and primitive mammals,‭ ‬though larger invertebrates could have also been eaten.

Further Reading

-‭ [‬Protarchaeopteryx gen.‭ ‬nov.‭—‬a new genus of Archaeopterygidae in China‭]‬.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Chinese Geology‭ ‬238‭(‬3‭)‬:38-41.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Q.‭ ‬Ji‭ & ‬S.-A.‭ ‬Ji‭ ‬-‭ ‬1997.

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