Smithsonian Magazine · People & society

New Feathered Dinosaur Fossil Suggests Multiple Independent Evolutions of Flight

A remarkably preserved fossil of a new feathered, bird-like dinosaur species, Norellraptor barsboldi, provides further evidence that flight evolved independently multiple times among dinosaurs.

The discovery, published in Nature Communications, adds to the idea that flight was not a rare evolutionary event but arose independently in different dinosaur groups around the same time.

Researchers found N. barsboldi in northeastern China, dating from 100 to 145 million years ago. This small predator had four wings, a long tail, and sharp teeth and claws, likely preying on small animals.

Analysis of the fossil revealed 194 anatomical adaptations within the microraptor group, with about 30% overlapping with bird evolution, such as limb proportions and fused wrist bones.

However, the study found these shared features evolved in different sequences in N. barsboldi and birds, suggesting they developed flight independently rather than from a common ancestor, a phenomenon known as convergent evolution.

This supports the hypothesis that flapping flight evolved separately in non-avialan dinosaurs and birds, indicating a non-linear evolutionary path with independent innovations.

The fossil's bone microstructure and growth patterns further highlight the distinct evolutionary pathways to flight adaptations in birds and bird-like dinosaurs.

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