HOME | DD
Albertonykus — Un-feathered Microraptor
Published: 2010-05-22 04:13:17 +0000 UTC; Views: 2263; Favourites: 8; Downloads: 61
Redirect to original
Description
After I proved that terror birds didn't have feathers, I decided to experiment with what an un-feathered Microraptor zhaoianus would look like, so here it is.Related content
Comments: 21
Plucked birds aren't all that aesthetically pleasing to look at, I'll concur.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Oh my goodness, I actually have a semi-technical 2006 book that illustrates them like this (albeit with protofeathers).
Then again, this is the same book that raised the two euhadrosaur clades to family status...
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
There was no evidence to support Microraptor had feathers. It's just that they lived in densely wooded environments, so once they died they casually fell on leafs of the forest floor and were fossilized along with them. Leafs just ACCIDENTALLY looked LIKE feathers and fluff so it's more of a common mistake than a scientific fact.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
A very common mistake, given that we have many, many Microraptor specimens. But, you know, when they died, they always made leaves fly in the exact right direction and distance to make them look like the arrangement of feathers. Common knowledge. And science still won't give the plant that gave those leaves a scientific name! They just don't want to give up their pet theory, I'll bet!
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
And those leaves were iridescent!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
They probably had a really thick waxy layer surrounding them.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
We must analyze why these leaves had such a layer! Just as soon as we figure out why Sinosauropteryx had orange collagen.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
It's all one big agenda amongst paleontologists and geologists, I tell you.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Crazy, though I suspect some added details would make it even crazier, such as including the propatagium etc. There's actually a kid's book called "Raptors!" by Don Lessem with illustrations of naked dromaeosaurs, though they also included the propatagia! Freaky.
[link]
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Weird; they also gave them fused fingers.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Yeah, I'm not sure what the evidence is for fused fingers. I've seen this in other restorations, but I'm not sure how it jibes with the occasional fossil preserving the fingers "crossed".
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
As nostalgic as I feel for scaly big raptors sometimes, this does look a little silly. You can tell the big hands were meant for wings.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Now, if feathered "raptors" weren't known and we only had its skeleton, we'd think those would be great for snatching up prey!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Heh....to be honest, given what I'm used to (or rather, what we know), it doesn't look right. XD
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Ditto to that. Looks just like a generic running theropod, doesn't it?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
My thoughts exactly.
It's funny...a "previously-unfeathered" dinosaur with feathers does look a little strange after so long...but the reverse just looks rediculous. XD
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I concur.
For a real life example, check out those diseased featherless chickens!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Heh....with all due respect, I'd rather not.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Good choice. XD
👍: 0 ⏩: 0