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New Feathered Gliding Dinosaur Discovered

Published on 10 Jun 2026

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New Feathered Gliding Dinosaur Discovered
  • A new four-winged feathered gliding dinosaur, Jian changmaensis, was announced on June 4, 2026. The 120-million-year-old fossil from the Changma Basin in Gansu province, northwestern China, belongs to the Microraptoria group of small predatory theropods related to Velociraptor.
  • The specimen features long feathers on forelimbs and hind limbs, enabling gliding. With an estimated four-foot wingspan, it resembles a barn owl. This is the first confirmed microraptor fossil found outside northeastern China, extending the group’s known range. The Changma Basin is also known for Early Cretaceous bird fossils like Gansus yumenensis. The study was published in Annals of Carnegie Museum.
Source: SarkariPariksha