Feathers and ‘feather-like’ integumentary structures in Liaoning birds and dinosaurs

✍ Scribed by Zhang Fucheng; Zhou Zhonghe; Gareth Dyke

• Book ID: 102845094
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 768 KB
• Volume: 41
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0072-1050
• DOI: 10.1002/gj.1057

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

We provide an overview of the known feather and other ‘feather‐like’ integumentary structure types known to‐date in the birds and dinosaurs from the Cretaceous rocks of Liaoning, NE China. These feather‐types are classified and compared with similar structures seen in Mesozoic and extant birds. We consider that integumentary feathers and ‘feather‐like’ structures fall within two major structural categories (‘shafted’ and ‘non‐shafted’). Comments are also made on the possible aerodynamic or insulating function of leg and tail feathers in Mesozoic birds and theropods. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.