DinoDex
Small iridescent black feathered dinosaur with long feathers on arms and legs, gliding
Reconstruction of the four-winged dromaeosaurid Microraptor zhaoianus.图片来源：Entelognathus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (unmodified except resizing)CC BY-SA 4.0（未修改）来源（在新标签页中打开）

Microraptor zhaoianus

读音： MY-kroh-RAP-tor zhow-ee-AH-nus

Maniraptora · Dromaeosauridae

A crow-sized, four-winged dromaeosaurid from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning, China, with long flight feathers on its arms and legs and glossy, iridescent black plumage. Fossils show it ate birds, fish, lizards and mammals.

  • Feathered
  • Bipedal
  • Sickle claw
  • Exceptional preservation
  • Unusual anatomy
对比
时代
白垩纪· 阿普特阶
食性
肉食性
体长
0.8 m
体重
1–1 kg
地点
Liaoning, China, Asia

快速问答

Microraptor zhaoianus有多大？
Microraptor zhaoianus体长约0.8 m。髋部高约0.2–0.2 m。体重约0.5–1.4 kg。 (Wikipedia: Microraptor 2026; Paul 2016)
Microraptor zhaoianus生活在什么时候？
Microraptor zhaoianus生活在早白垩世，约1.214亿至1.132亿年前。 (Paleobiology Database: Microraptor occurrences 2026)
在哪里发现过Microraptor zhaoianus的化石？
Microraptor zhaoianus的化石发现于Jiufotang Formation (Liaoning)和China。 (Xu et al. 2000; Xu et al. 2003)
Microraptor zhaoianus吃什么？
Microraptor zhaoianus是肉食性或食鱼性。 (Xu et al. 2000; Xu et al. 2003)
Microraptor zhaoianus由谁命名，何时命名？
Microraptor zhaoianus由Xu Xing, Zhou Zhonghe & Wang Xiaolin于2000年描述。 (Xu et al. 2000; Paleobiology Database: Microraptor occurrences 2026)

本页内容

MY-kroh-RAP-tor zhow-ee-AH-nus

时代
白垩纪121.4–113.2 Ma
食性
肉食性
体长
0.8 m
体重
0–0 t
产地
China, Asia
分类
Maniraptora · Dromaeosauridae
命名
2000, Xu Xing, Zhou Zhonghe & Wang Xiaolin

概览

此内容目前仅提供英文版。

Microraptor zhaoianus lived in north-eastern China in the Early Cretaceous, in the forested lake country of the Jehol Biota. Xu Xing and colleagues named it in 2000 from the Jiufotang Formation of Liaoning as the smallest known non-bird dinosaur, smaller than Archaeopteryx.

Later specimens showed long flight feathers not only on its arms but also on its legs, so it had four wings; Xu et al. (2003) suggested that it could glide, a possible stage on the way to flapping flight. Its melanosomes match those of birds with glossy, iridescent black feathers (Li et al. 2012).

Stomach contents reveal a varied diet: an enantiornithine bird in one specimen (O'Connor et al. 2011), and fish, a lizard and a small mammal in others. Part of the first Microraptor bones had been glued into the fake "Archaeoraptor" sold in 1999.

名称含义

"Small plunderer", from Greek mikros ("small") and Latin raptor; zhaoianus honours the palaeontologist Zhao Xijin (Xu et al. 2000).

生物学与证据

科学家对这种动物生活方式的看法，以及每种观点的证据有多充分。

进食

  • Microraptor ate birds.

    证据等级：直接证据

    A bird skeleton lies inside a Microraptor. Because Jehol enantiornithines lived in trees, the authors suggest Microraptor hunted there too.

    支持 / 反对证据 · 1
    支持证据

    • 标本 · Bird in a Microraptor stomach

      A largely undigested partial skeleton of an adult enantiornithine bird in the abdomen of IVPP V17972.

      标本： IVPP V17972

羽毛

  • Microraptor had glossy, iridescent black feathers.

    证据等级：中等证据

    The shape and arrangement of its melanosomes match those of iridescent black birds. Colour inferred this way is a model, not a direct observation.

    支持 / 反对证据 · 1
    支持证据

    • 其他 · Microraptor melanosomes

      Feather melanosomes compared with those of living birds match glossy, iridescent black plumage.

  • Microraptor had four wings and could probably glide.

    证据等级：中等证据

    Flight feathers on all four limbs are preserved. Gliding is inferred; whether it could also flap is debated.

    支持 / 反对证据 · 1
    支持证据

    • 羽毛印痕 · Microraptor leg flight feathers

      Long pennaceous feathers on both the arms and the legs of several specimens, forming four wings.

体型

体长
0.8 m

（2.5 英尺）

依据 Holotype of M. gui (0.77 m); larger specimens at least 0.8 m

身高
0.2 m文献范围 0.2–0.2 m

（0.7 英尺）

依据 IVPP V13352

体重
1–1 kg
Microraptor zhaoianus 体长约 0.8 米（2.5 英尺），约为身高 1.8 米的成年人的 0.4 倍。

时间线

生活在约 121.4 至 113.2 百万年前（Ma），属于中生代（252–66 Ma）。

时代： 阿普特阶 (121.4–113 Ma), 早白垩世 (145–100.5 Ma)

Aptian bounds of the Jiufotang Formation collections in PBDB (PBDB time scale).

产地

地层

地图数据：Natural Earth（公有领域）。显示的是现代位置，而非当时大陆的位置。

这些是发现化石的地点，而不是该动物生活的全部范围。

生态系统

生活于： Jehol Biota

135–121 百万年前 · 湖泊, 沼泽 / 湿地, 森林

Early Cretaceous wetlands and lakes of north-eastern China with seasonal rainfall and frequent volcanic eruptions; ash falls into anoxic lakes preserved feathers and soft tissue.

同一生态系统

Yutyrannus huali

白垩纪· 巴雷姆阶肉食性

分类

  1. 演化支Dinosauria
  2. 演化支Saurischia
  3. 演化支Theropoda
  4. 演化支Coelurosauria
  5. 演化支Maniraptora
  6. 科Dromaeosauridae
  7. 亚科Microraptorinae
  8. 属Microraptor
  9. 种Microraptor zhaoianus

分类地位： 有效

化石记录

Microraptor zhaoianus fossil at the Henan Geological Museum, Zhengzhou.图片来源：Gary Todd, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons, Henan Geological MuseumCC0 1.0来源（在新标签页中打开）
标本
编号类型收藏机构发现年份
IVPP V12330正模标本Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP)—
IVPP V17972归入标本Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP)—

已发现的部分

归入标本: IVPP V17972

  • 保存
  • 部分保存
  • 复原
  • 未知 / 未记录
按部位查看（表格）
归入标本: IVPP V17972 的骨骼部位
部位状态
Skull保存
Mandible未知 / 未记录
Teeth未知 / 未记录
Cervical vertebrae保存
Dorsal vertebrae未知 / 未记录
Sacrum未知 / 未记录
Caudal vertebrae保存
Ribs未知 / 未记录
Gastralia未知 / 未记录
Scapula / shoulder girdle未知 / 未记录
Humerus未知 / 未记录
Forearm (radius / ulna)未知 / 未记录
Hand (manus)未知 / 未记录
Pelvis未知 / 未记录
Femur未知 / 未记录
Tibia / fibula未知 / 未记录
Foot (pes)保存

全部标本

发现

命名年份
2000
命名者
Xu Xing, Zhou Zhonghe & Wang Xiaolin
模式标本
IVPP V12330
The chimeric 'Archaeoraptor liaoningensis', whose tail belonged to Microraptor zhaoianus, at the Paleozoological Museum of China.图片来源：Jonathan Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (unmodified except resizing), Paleozoological Museum of ChinaCC BY-SA 4.0（未修改）来源（在新标签页中打开）

发现时间线

  1. 2000 · 正式命名

    Xu, Zhou and Wang name Microraptor zhaoianus

    Named as the smallest known non-bird dinosaur, smaller than Archaeopteryx.

    人物：Xu Xing

  2. 2003 · 重要研究

    Four-winged Microraptor described

    New specimens show flight feathers on the legs; named M. gui.

    人物：Xu Xing

  3. 2011 · 重要研究

    Microraptor found with a bird in its stomach

    O'Connor and colleagues describe the first dinosaur preserved with a bird as its meal.

    人物：Jingmai O'Connor, Xu Xing

  4. 2012 · 重要研究

    Microraptor colour reconstructed

    Melanosomes suggest iridescent black plumage.

参考文献

  1. (2026). Paleobiology Database: Microraptor occurrences. The Paleobiology Database (paleobiodb.org), data service 1.2, accessed 2026-09-23. https://paleobiodb.org/data1.2/occs/list.txt?base_name=Microraptor&show=coords,paleoloc,strat,loc,ref&pgm=gplates（在新标签页中打开）
  2. (2026). Wikipedia: Microraptor. Wikipedia (English), accessed 2026-09-23. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microraptor（在新标签页中打开）
  3. Li, Q., Gao, K.-Q., Meng, Q., Clarke, J. A., Shawkey, M. D., D'Alba, L., Pei, R., Ellison, M., Norell, M. A. & Vinther, J. (2012). Reconstruction of Microraptor and the evolution of iridescent plumage. Science 335: 1215-1219. doi:10.1126/science.1213780（在新标签页中打开）
  4. O'Connor, J., Zhou, Z. & Xu, X. (2011). Additional specimen of Microraptor provides unique evidence of dinosaurs preying on birds. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108. doi:10.1073/pnas.1117727108（在新标签页中打开）
  5. Paul, G. S. (2016). The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs (2nd edition). Princeton University Press.
  6. Xu, X., Zhou, Z. & Wang, X. (2000). The smallest known non-avian theropod dinosaur. Nature 408: 705-708. doi:10.1038/35047056（在新标签页中打开）
  7. Xu, X., Zhou, Z., Wang, X., Kuang, X., Zhang, F. & Du, X. (2003). Four-winged dinosaurs from China. Nature 421: 335-340. doi:10.1038/nature01342（在新标签页中打开）