CAUDIPTERYX
a peacock-sized oviraptorosaurian theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of China.
Pronunciation: cow-DIP-tuh-riks
Meaning: Tail Feather
Author/s: Ji, Currie, Norell and Ji (
1998)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Liaoning, China
Discovery Chart Position: #439
Caudipteryx zoui
(Zou's Tail Feather)Etymology
Caudipteryx is derived from the Latin "cauda" (tail) and the Greek "pteryx" (wing, feather) because of the large feathers arranged fan-like on the end of its tail.
The
species epithet,
zoui, refers to Zou
Jiahua, vice-premier of China and an avid supporter of the scientific
work in Liaoning.
Discovery
The first remains of
Caudipteryx were recovered from the Jianshangou Beds of the Yixian Formation (previously the Chaomidianzi Formation) near the town of Zhangjiakou (also home to
Dilong and
Sinornithosaurus) in the Sihetun area of Liaoning Province, NE China, in 1997.
The
holotype (NGMC 97-4-A) is a compressed skeleton with preserved feather impressions and some soft tissue.
Estimations
Timeline:
Era: Mesozoic
Epoch: Early Cretaceous
Stage: Barremian-Aptian
Age range: 125-112 mya
Stats:
Est. max. length: 1.2 meters
Est. max. hip height: 0.6 meters
Est. max. weight: 3 Kg
Diet: Omnivore
References
• Ji Q, Currie PJ, Norell MA and Ji S (1998) "
Two feathered dinosaurs from northeastern China".
Nature, 393(6687): 753–761. 
• Martin LD and Czerkas SA (2000) "
The Fossil Record of Feather Evolution in the Mesozoic".
American Zoologist, 40(4): 687–694.
• Zhou Z, Wang X, Zhang F and Xu X (2000) "
Important features of Caudipteryx - Evidence from two nearly complete new specimens".
Vertebrata PalAsiatica, 38(4): 241-254.
• Zhou Zhong-He and Wang Xiao-Lin (2000) "
A new species of Caudipteryx from the Yixian Formation of Liaoning, northeast China".
Vertebrata PalAsiatica, 38(2): 113–130. [names Caudipteryx dongi.]
• Paul GS (2002) "Dinosaurs of the Air: The Evolution and Loss of Flight in Dinosaurs and Birds".
• Maryanska T, Osmólska H and Wolsan M (2002) "
Avialan status for Oviraptorosauria".
Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 47(1): 97-116.
• Osmólska H, Currie PJ and Barsbold R (2004) "Oviraptorosauria". Page 249-258 in Weishampel, Dodson and Osmolska (eds.) "
The Dinosauria: Second edition".
• Dyke GJ and Norell MA (2005) "
Caudipteryx as a non-avian theropod rather than a flightless bird".
Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 50(1): 101–116.
• Witmer LM (2005) "The Debate on Avian Ancestry; Phylogeny, Function and Fossils". In "
Mesozoic Birds: Above the Heads of Dinosaurs".
• Zheng X, Bailleul AM, Li Z, Wang X and Zhou Z (2021)
"
Nuclear preservation in the cartilage of the Jehol dinosaur Caudipteryx".
Communications Biology, 4: 1125. DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02627-8.
Time stands still for no man, and research is ongoing. If you spot an error, or want to expand, edit or add a dinosaur, please use
this form. Go
here to contribute to our FAQ.
All dinos are GM free, and no herbivores were eaten during site construction!
To cite this page:
Atkinson, L.
"
CAUDIPTERYX :: from DinoChecker's dinosaur archive".
‹
http://www.dinochecker.com/dinosaurs/CAUDIPTERYX›. Web access: 06th Mar 2026.
