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Sinosauropteryx is a
compsognathid dinosaur. Described in 1996, it was the first dinosaur taxon outside of Avialae (birds and their immediate relatives) to be found with evidence of feathers
. It was covered with a coat of very simple filament-like feathers. Structures that indicate colouration have also been preserved for some of the feathers, which makes Sinosauropteryx the first non-avialian dinosaurs where colouration has been determined. Colouration includes a reddish and light banded tail.
Sinosauropteryx was a small theropod with an unusually long tail and short arms. The longest known specimen reaches up to 1.07 m (3.5 ft) in length, with an estimated weight of 0.55 kg (1.2 lb). It was a close relative of the similar but older genus Compsognathus, both genera belonging to the family Compsognathidae. Only one species of Sinosauropteryx has been named: S. prima, meaning "first" in reference to its status as the first feathered non-avialian dinosaur species discovered.
Sinosauropteryx lived in what is now northeastern
Liaoning Province, and was a member of Jehol Biota. Well-preserved fossils of this species illustrate many aspects of their biology, such as their diet and reproduction. (see more...
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