Serikornis is a small, feathered dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic period, specifically in a time known as the Oxfordian stage. This dinosaur was discovered in the Tiaojishan Formation in Liaoning, China, and was first described in 2017.
The official name for this dinosaur is Serikornis sungei. The name “Serikornis” means “Ge Sun’s silk bird,” referencing the soft, feather-like coverings found on its body. The nickname “Silky” comes from the similarities between its delicate feathers and those of the Silky breed of domestic chickens.
Serikornis is interesting because its fossil contains a variety of feather types. The feathers included fluffy bundles around its neck and wings, short feathers on the arms, and both fuzzy and longer feathers on its legs.
Researchers believe that Serikornis was not built for flying. Instead, it likely lived on the ground. Its body structure suggests it was better suited for running and maybe gliding between trees instead of powered flight.
The skeleton of Serikornis shows some unique features, like special teeth and certain bone shapes. While scientists initially thought these traits made Serikornis a distinct dinosaur, some later studies questioned this. They suggested that it might just be a variation of another dinosaur called Anchiornis due to similarities in their features.
In summary, Serikornis is a fascinating dinosaur with a mix of traits that connect it to both birds and other types of small, feathered dinosaurs. Its discovery adds to our understanding of how dinosaurs were evolving during the Jurassic period.