Four-Winged Dinosaur Soared Cretaceous Skies

A new species of dinosaur, Norellraptor, has been identified from a well-preserved fossil found in northeastern China. This crow-sized creature lived more than 120 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period. It possessed sharp claws, teeth, and an unexpected four wings, offering insights into dinosaur flight evolution.

The discovery contributes to the understanding of how various dinosaur groups achieved flight. Research suggests that flight likely evolved at least three times within dinosaur lineages. This indicates that airborne behavior was common among dinosaurs, with birds being the sole survivors of these ancient aviators.

Paleontologists have previously found hundreds of fossils from microraptorines, small carnivorous dinosaurs with long feathers on all four limbs, primarily in China. These exceptionally preserved specimens provide detailed anatomical information about these ancient flying dinosaurs.