Caudipteryx

Caudipteryx was a small feathered dinosaur. It was related to Oviraptor but looked more like Archaeopteryx. It was a relative of Protarchaeopteryx. It was found in China. It was a small insectivore, with long thin legs, less than a metre long. It had a fan of tail feathers and a fringe of feathers along the trailing edge of each arm. They are very like bird feathers, with a central stalk, and vanes on either side. Its arms were too short for it to fly.

Caudipteryx Temporal range: Lower Cretaceous 124.6 mya
Caudipteryx zoui
Conservation status
Fossil
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Superorder:	Dinosauria
Order:	Saurischia
Suborder:	Theropoda
Infraorder:	Oviraptorosauria
Family:	Caudipteridae Zhou & Wang, 2000
Genus:	Caudipteryx Q. Ji, Currie, Norell & S.-A. Ji, 1998
Species
C. zoui (type)

Caudipteryx Media

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  Wing reconstruction and feather impressions of Caudipteryx sp. (a) and C. dongi (b)

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  Skeletal restorations of three specimens

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  Holotype of C. zoui, with feather impressions and stomach content preserved, Geological Museum of China

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  Gastroliths in stomach region of C. zoui specimen BPV 085, National Museum of Natural Science