Pedopenna
Name: Pedopenna
(foot feather).
Phonetic: Pe-do-pen-nah.
Named By: X. Xu & F. Zhang - 2005.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia, Dinosauria,
Theropoda, Maniraptora, Deinonychosauria, Averaptora, Avialae.
Species: P. daohugouensis
(type).
Diet: Carnivore/Insectivore.
Size: Possibly up to 1 meter long.
Known locations: China - Tiaojishan Formation.
Time period: Callovian of the Jurassic.
Fossil representation: At least one specimen.
Pedopenna
is a genus of small maniraptoran dinosaur that lived in China during
the end of the Mid Jurassic. Pedopenna is classed
as a member of the
Deinonychosauria, the group that incorporates later dromaeosaurs and
troodonts, as well as the ancestors of birds. Pedopenna
already
displays some features that would be common in later members of the
group. For example, dromaeosaurs
and troodonts
are noted as having a
shortened second toe which supported an enlarged sickle-shaped claw.
The second toe and claw are certainly not as evolved as those in later
deinonychosaurs, but the second toe is already slightly shortened,
with the claw slightly larger than the others, already hinting at
how the sickle shaped claws of later deinonychosaurs developed.
The
name Pedopenna was chosen for this genus because of
the development of
feathers around the foot and hind leg, Measuring up to fifty-five
millimetres long, these feathers grew from the back of the leg with
smaller feathers growing over the base of these. It is uncertain if
these feathers are a new development, or if they are the vestigial
remains from an ancestor. In some later genera such as Microraptor,
even larger feathers grew from the back leg, and are considered to
have formed part of a gliding structure. At the other end of the
scale, many other genera of dromaeosaur and troodont seem to have had
an absence of large feathers on the hind legs. This might suggest
that the development of larger feathers on the hind legs in genera such
as Pedopenna and Microraptor
may be more down to species specific
developments for display and possible ecological niche.
Further reading
- A new maniraptoran dinosaur from China with long feathers on the
metatarsus. - Naturwissenschaften 92:173-177. - X. Xu
& F. Zhang - 2005.
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