Plumage Color Patterns of an Extinct Dinosaur

2010/02/04 by Quanguo Li, Ke‐Qin Gao, Jakob Vinther +6 · 36 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Amphibian and Reptile Biology #Ichthyology and Marine Biology #Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology

paper · doi:10.1126/science.1186290

openalex publication_date 2010/02/04 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30

Abstract

For as long as dinosaurs have been known to exist, there has been speculation about their appearance. Fossil feathers can preserve the morphology of color-imparting melanosomes, which allow color patterns in feathered dinosaurs to be reconstructed. Here, we have mapped feather color patterns in a Late Jurassic basal paravian theropod dinosaur. Quantitative comparisons with melanosome shape and density in extant feathers indicate that the body was gray and dark and the face had rufous speckles. The crown was rufous, and the long limb feathers were white with distal black spangles. The evolution of melanin-based within-feather pigmentation patterns may coincide with that of elongate pennaceous feathers in the common ancestor of Maniraptora, before active powered flight. Feathers may thus have played a role in sexual selection or other communication.

Citations

• Two feathered dinosaurs from northeastern China
• A Basal Dromaeosaurid and Size Evolution Preceding Avian Flight

Cited by

• Fossilized Feathers
• FEATHERS OF THE INGERSOLL SHALE, EUTAW FORMATION (UPPER CRETACEOUS), EASTERN ALABAMA: THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF FEATHERS FROM NORTH AMERICAN MESOZOIC ROCKS
• A new Jurassic theropod from China documents a transitional step in the macrostructure of feathers
• A new ornithurine from the Early Cretaceous of China sheds light on the evolution of early ecological and cranial diversity in birds
• Abdominal Contents from Two Large Early Cretaceous Compsognathids (Dinosauria: Theropoda) Demonstrate Feeding on Confuciusornithids and Dromaeosaurids
• Two of a Feather: A Comparison of the Preserved Integument in the Juvenile Theropod Dinosaurs Sciurumimus and Juravenator from the Kimmeridgian Torleite Formation of Southern Germany
• Pterosaur melanosomes support signalling functions for early feathers
• Morphology and distribution of scales, dermal ossifications, and other non‐feather integumentary structures in non‐avialan theropod dinosaurs
• Synchrotron-based chemical imaging reveals plumage patterns in a 150 million year old early bird
• The Early Origin of Feathers
• New specimen of Archaeopteryx provides insights into the evolution of pennaceous feathers
• Reduced plumage and flight ability of a new Jurassic paravian theropod from China
• Evidence corroborates identity of isolated fossil feather as a wing covert of Archaeopteryx
• A Review of Dromaeosaurid Systematics and Paravian Phylogeny
• A bony-crested Jurassic dinosaur with evidence of iridescent plumage highlights complexity in early paravian evolution
• A guide to the field of palaeo colour
• New evidence on the colour and nature of the isolated Archaeopteryx feather
• Skin pigmentation provides evidence of convergent melanism in extinct marine reptiles
• Interpreting melanin-based coloration through deep time: a critical review
• 3D Camouflage in an Ornithischian Dinosaur
• Structure and homology ofPsittacosaurustail bristles
• Soft Tissue Preservation in Terrestrial Mesozoic Vertebrates
• Reconstructing Vertebrate Paleocolor
• A Jurassic ornithischian dinosaur from Siberia with both feathers and scales
• Recent advances in amniote palaeocolour reconstruction and a framework for future research
• Exceptional dinosaur fossils reveal early origin of avian-style digestion
• Evolution of dinosaur epidermal structures
• Melanosomes and ancient coloration re‐examined: A response to Vinther 2015 (DOI 10.1002/bies.201500018)
• An icon knocked from its perch
• Reconstruction of Microraptor and the Evolution of Iridescent Plumage
• On the identification of feather structures in stem-line representatives of birds: evidence from fossils and actuopalaeontology
• Bristles before down: A new perspective on the functional origin of feathers
• 2010 in science [wikipedia]
• Bird [wikipedia]
• Dinosaur [wikipedia]
• Feather [wikipedia]