Scientists Discover Jian changmaensis in China
A new feathered gliding dinosaur named Jian changmaensis was announced on 4 June 2026 in a study published in Annals of Carnegie Museum. The 120-million-year-old fossil was found in the Changma Basin in Gansu province, northwestern China. Classification of Microraptors Jian changmaensis belongs to Microraptoria, a group of small predatory theropod dinosaurs within the broader dromaeosaurid family. Microraptors are known from the Early Cretaceous period and are closely related to Velociraptor. Feather Structure and Gliding Adaptation The fossil shows long feathers on both the forelimbs and hind limbs, which gave the animal a four-winged appearance. Scientists classify this body plan as an adaptation for gliding rather than powered flight. The estimated wingspan of the dinosaur was about four feet, a size comparable to a barn owl. The four-winged form is also seen in other microraptor fossils from northeastern China. Changma Basin and Early Cretaceous Fossils The Changma Basin is k...