Sunday, September 9, 2012

[Paleontology • 2001] Branched integumental structures in Sinornithosaurus and the origin of feathers

Figure 1 Sinornithosaurus millenii, holotype (IVPP 12811). Carbonized, filamentous, integumental appendages, 30–45 mm long, are attached to the skull, forelimbs, tail and other skeletal elements. 

Figure 2 Filamentous integumental appendages of S. millenii dissociated from the integument and preserved overlying each other in the matrix near the skull. a, Picture of the preparation. Scale bar, 5 mm. b, Illustrated reconstruction


Xu, X., Zhou, Z. and Prum, R.O. 2001. Branched integumental structures in Sinornithosaurus and the origin of feathers. Nature. 410: 200-204.

Xu, Xing, Wu, Xiao-Chun. 2001. Cranial morphology of Sinornithosaurus millenii Xu et al. 1999 (Dinosauria: Theropoda: Dromaeosauridae) from the Yixian Formation of Liaoning, China. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. 38:1739-1752.