#ambopteryx

[knuppitalism-with-ue]

Another sketch brought to you by #paleostream

A freshly hatched Ambopteryx climbs out of its nest, the parent is not impressed.

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Round Three: Ambopteryx vs Caihong

Ambopteryx longibrachium

Artwork by Gabriel Ugueto, written by @i-draws-dinosaurs

Name meaning: Both wings with long arms

Time: 163 million years ago (Callovian stage of the Middle Jurassic)

Location: Haifanggou Formation, China

Look, evolution has done a lot of weird stuff to dinosaurs. It put penguins underwater, and did whatever the hall mamenchisaurid necks are, and game lambeosaurs a built-in face trumpet. But I would argue there is one group that represents dinosaur evolution at its most unhinged, and that is scansoropterygidae.

Scansoriopterygids were generally considered “weird little tree dinosaurs” in the 2000s, with long fingers to pick grubs out of bark or something. Then Yi qi swept along in 2015 and revealed that those long fingers were actually supporting membranous bat wings. With an extra bony rod (the “styliform element”) sticking out of the wrist to help support it, because well if you’re a dinosaur evolving bat wings why bother being normal about it after that? Although really, the dinosaurs did it first so bats actually have dinosaur wings.

Yi was sensational, but it was also extremely weird and completely unique. Even other scansoriopterygids didn’t have wing membranes, so the whole bat thing was a bit up in the air. Or not up in the air, as the case may be. But then along comes Ambopteryx, published in 2019, packing another set of skin wings, and the vindication of Yi is complete! 

Ambopteryx preserves a styliform element and wing membrane, as well as a thick coat of feathers, and honestly out of a whole selection of dinosaurs I think these might be some of the most huggable in the lot. Obviously this whole wing membrane thing didn’t end up working out for them long term, but Ambopteryx is part of an incredible lineage that challenged what we thought was possible for dinosaurs!

Caihong juji

Artwork by @i-draws-dinosaurs, written by @i-draws-dinosaurs

Name meaning: Rainbow with big crest

Time: 161 million years old (Oxfordian stage of the Late Jurassic)

Location: Tiaojishan Formation, China

It’s always a special treat to hear the announcement of a dinosaur with known colours, because it gives the most direct impression of how truly stunning these animals would have been to witness in real life. And Caihong might just be the most spectacular of them all so far, described in 2018 from an immaculate full-body fossil that preserves detailed feathers! Caihong’s feathers are longer than some other floofy dinosaurs, and would have had the appearance of a luxurious mane along its neck. Not only that, the fossil preserves feather microstructures that in life would have made this dinosaur gloriously iridescent!

Now iridescent dinosaurs aren’t new, Microraptor has been decked out in fabulous starling-esque plumage for a while now, but Caihong absolutely takes it to the next level. Its whole body was covered in iridescent black, including the enormous tail, but the real star of the show are the platelet-like melanosomes found on the head, neck, and the base of the tail. Different from the usual iridescent melanosomes, the structure of these tiny organelles reflects brilliantly iridescent colours, like those on the heads of hummingbirds and particularly the bright purple feathers on the necks of the trumpeter family. Caihong would have put on an absolutely dazzling jewel-toned display in the treetops or on the forest floor of prehistoric China!

[trisarahtops-sketches]

Dearly departed bewinged critters

[ambop]

drew myself a new pfp that still shows imma fruity boi

!!!!eye sore below this point!!!!

timd lapse under

!!!!!!! Flashing lights and even sore-er eyes lol!!!!!

[quark-nova]

Dino soar? :0

We do a little soaring

(Ambopteryx longibrachium, a smol scansoriopterygid)

[sugarthelion]

My oc Marcy as an ambopteryx

[tiktaaliker]

i guess tumblr decided liking tiktaaliks was better than licking them lmao

genuinely the scariest moment of getting temporarily terminated was that I wouldve had to completely rebrand if I couldn't use this url anymore. I wouldn't have survived being tiktaalicker I'm not strong enough

[rhythmantics]

I call these my “ancient+” designs because I tried to stick with the original ancient concept/design... but More

gaoler - tried to make it look kind of cave troll, mountain troll, yeti etc. increased secondary coverage, made it more front-heavy, moose antlers for max power. wings now reduced to full hands because that looks kind of cool and troll-esque, plus in the lore they’re supposed to be for digging

banescale - i think they were trying to do a “demonic”-looking dragon to contrast the “angelic” coatls? unsure. went with that as my concept. used ambopteryx for anatomy inspiration, tried to keep a repeating shape for the horns and spines, tail now resembles a trident to go with the “demon” thing. not my favorite, might give it another go someday.

veilspun - tried to make it feel more fey/fairy, and by that i mean Honse. meant to resemble a dainty unicorn and/or wicked kelpie, while retaining the long tail, mane, and wings. turned out kind of queen chrysalis-y. experimented with 6 legs but decided that that clogged up the silhouette

undertide - tried to make it more Fish-y, removed the full-on dragon wings and replaced them with large dorsal and pectoral fins, + put some fin placement where it would actually be on a Fish + tried to retain the lionfish-inspired quills. also not my favorite, kind of wish they went for something more asian dragon or se asian naga, could keep the lionfish quills, idk. didn’t want to stray too far from the base concept because I kind of like undertides aside from the normal wings

[gemboundprism]

you like dinos? name every dino

Aardonyx Abdarainurus Abelisaurus Abrictosaurus Abrosaurus Abydosaurus Acantholipan Acanthopholis Achelousaurus Acheroraptor Achillesaurus Achillobator Acristavus Acrocanthosaurus Acrotholus Adamantisaurus Adasaurus Adelolophus Adeopapposaurus Adratiklit Adynomosaurus Aegyptosaurus Aeolosaurus Aeolosaurus Aepyornithomimus Aerosteon Afromimus Afrovenator Agathaumas Agilisaurus Agrosaurus Agujaceratops Agujaceratops Agustinia Ahshislepelta Ajkaceratops Ajnabia Akainacephalus Alamitornis Alaskacephale Albalophosaurus Albertaceratops Albertadromeus Albertavenator Albertonykus Albertosaurus Albinykus Alcmonavis Alcovasaurus Alectrosaurus Aletopelta Algoasaurus Alioramus Alioramus Allosaurus Allosaurus Allosaurus Almas Alnashetri Altirhinus Altispinax Alvarezsaurus Alxasaurus Amanzia Amargasaurus Amargatitanis Amazonsaurus Ambiortus Ambopteryx Ampelosaurus Amphicoelias Amtocephale Amurosaurus Amygdalodon Anabisetia Analong Anasazisaurus Anchiceratops Anchiornis Anchisaurus Andesaurus Angolatitan Angulomastacator Anhuilong Aniksosaurus Animantarx Ankylosaurus Anodontosaurus Anomalipes Anoplosaurus Anserimimus Antarcticavis Antarctopelta Antarctosaurus Antarctosaurus Antarctosaurus Antarctosaurus Antetonitrus Antrodemus Anzu Aoniraptor Aorun Apatoraptor Apatornis Apatosaurus Apatosaurus Appalachiosaurus Apsaravis Aquilarhinus Aquilops Arackar Aragosaurus Aralosaurus Aratasaurus Archaeoceratops Archaeoceratops Archaeodontosaurus Archaeopteryx Archaeopteryx Archaeorhynchus Archaeornithoides Archaeornithomimus Archaeornithomimus Archaeornithura Arcovenator Arcusaurus Arenysaurus Argentinosaurus Argyrosaurus Aristosuchus Arkansaurus Arkharavia Arrhinoceratops Arrudatitan Asfaltovenator Asiaceratops Asiaceratops Asiahesperornis Asiatosaurus Asiatosaurus Astrophocaudia Asylosaurus Atacamatitan Atlantosaurus Atlantosaurus Atlasaurus Atlascopcosaurus Atrociraptor Atsinganosaurus Aublysodon Aucasaurus Augustynolophus Auroraceratops Aurornis Australodocus Australotitan Australovenator Austrocheirus Austroposeidon Austroraptor Austrosaurus Avaceratops Aviatyrannis Avimimus Avimimus Avisaurus

Baalsaurus Bactrosaurus Bactrosaurus Bagaceratops Bagaraatan Bagualia Bagualosaurus Bahariasaurus Bainoceratops Bainoceratops Bajadasaurus Balaur Bambiraptor Banji Bannykus Baotianmansaurus Baptornis Barapasaurus Barilium Barosaurus Barrosasaurus Barsboldia Baryonyx Bashanosaurus Batyrosaurus Batyrosaurus Baurutitan Bauxitornis Bayannurosaurus Beg Beibeilong Beiguornis Beipiaognathus Beipiaosaurus Beishanlong Bellusaurus Berberosaurus Berthasaura Bicentenaria Bienosaurus Bissektipelta Bistahieversor Blasisaurus Blikanasaurus Bohaiornis Bolong Boluochia Bonapartenykus Bonapartenykus Bonapartesaurus Bonatitan Bonitasaura Borealopelta Borealosaurus Boreonykus Borogovia Bothriospondylus Brachiosaurus Brachyceratops Brachylophosaurus Brachytrachelopan Bradycneme Brasilotitan Bravasaurus Bravoceratops Breviceratops Brighstoneus Brodavis Brodavis Brodavis Brodavis Brohisaurus Brontomerus Brontosaurus Buitreraptor Burianosaurus Buriolestes Byronosaurus

Caenagnathasia Caenagnathus Caihong Calamosaurus Callovosaurus Camarasaurus Camarasaurus Camarasaurus Camarasaurus Camarillasaurus Camelotia Camposaurus Camptodontornis Camptosaurus Campylodoniscus Canadaga Canardia Carcharodontosaurus Carcharodontosaurus Cardiodon Carnotaurus Caseosaurus Cathartesaura Caudipteryx Caudipteryx Cedarosaurus Cedarpelta Cedrorestes Centrosaurus Ceramornis Cerasinops Ceratonykus Ceratops Ceratosaurus Ceratosaurus Ceratosaurus Ceratosuchops Cerebavis Cetiosauriscus Cetiosaurus Changchengornis Changchunsaurus Changmiania Changyuraptor Changzuiornis Chaoyangia Chaoyangsaurus Charonosaurus Chasmosaurus Chasmosaurus Chasmosaurus Chebsaurus Chenanisaurus Chialingosaurus Chiappeavis Chiayusaurus Chiayusaurus Chilantaisaurus Chilesaurus Chindesaurus Chingkankousaurus Chinshakiangosaurus Chirostenotes Choconsaurus Chondrosteosaurus Chongmingia Choyrodon Chromogisaurus Chuandongocoelurus Chuanjiesaurus Chuanqilong Chubutisaurus Chungkingosaurus Chupkaornis Chuxiongosaurus Cimolopteryx Cimolopteryx Citipati Citipes Claosaurus Coahuilaceratops Coelophysis Coelurus Colepiocephale Coloradisaurus Comahuesaurus Compsognathus Compsosuchus Concavenator Conchoraptor Concornis Condorraptor Confuciusornis Confuciusornis Confuciusornis Confuciusornis Convolosaurus Coronosaurus Corythoraptor Corythosaurus Corythosaurus Craspedodon Craterosaurus Cretaaviculus Crichtonpelta Crichtonsaurus Cristatusaurus Crittendenceratops Cruxicheiros Cryolophosaurus Cumnoria

Dacentrurus Daemonosaurus Dakotadon Dakotaraptor Dalianraptor Daliansaurus Dandakosaurus Daspletosaurus Daspletosaurus Datanglong Datonglong Datousaurus Daurlong Daxiatitan Deinocheirus Deinodon Deinonychus Deltadromeus Demandasaurus Denversaurus Diabloceratops Diamantinasaurus Dicraeosaurus Dilong Dilophosaurus Diluvicursor Dineobellator Dinheirosaurus Diplodocus Diplodocus Diplodocus Dongbeititan Dongyangopelta Dongyangosaurus Draconyx Dracoraptor Dracovenator Dreadnoughtus Dromaeosauroides Dromaeosaurus Dromiceiomimus Drusilasaura Dryosaurus Dryptosaurus Dubreuillosaurus Duriatitan Duriavenator Dynamoterror Dyoplosaurus Dysalotosaurus Dysganus Dysganus Dysganus Dysganus Dyslocosaurus Dzharaonyx Dzharatitanis

Echinodon Edmontonia Edmontonia Edmontosaurus Edmontosaurus Efraasia Einiosaurus Ekrixinatosaurus Elaltitan Elaphrosaurus Elmisaurus Elopteryx Elrhazosaurus Emausaurus Enaliornis Enaliornis Enaliornis Enantiophoenix Enigmosaurus Eoabelisaurus Eocarcharia Eoconfuciusornis Eocursor Eodromaeus Eogranivora Eolambia Eomamenchisaurus Eoraptor Eosinopteryx Eotrachodon Eotriceratops Eotyrannus Eousdryosaurus Epachthosaurus Epanterias Epichirostenotes Epidexipteryx Equijubus Erectopus Erketu Erliansaurus Erlikosaurus Erythrovenator Eshanosaurus Eucamerotus Eucercosaurus Eucnemesaurus Eucnemesaurus Euhelopus Euoplocephalus Europasaurus Europatitan Europelta Euskelosaurus Eustreptospondylus Evgenavis Evgenavis

Falcarius Falcatakely Ferganasaurus Ferrisaurus Foraminacephale Fosterovenator Fostoria Fruitadens Fukuipteryx Fukuiraptor Fukuisaurus Fukuititan Fukuivenator Fulgurotherium Fumicollis Fushanosaurus Fusuisaurus Futalognkosaurus Fylax

Galeamopus Galeamopus Galleonosaurus Gallimimus Gallornis Galvesaurus Gannansaurus Gansus Gansus Ganzhousaurus Gargantuavis Gargoyleosaurus Garrigatitan Garudimimus Gasosaurus Gasparinisaura Gastonia Gastonia Geminiraptor Genusaurus Genyodectes Geranosaurus Gettyia Gideonmantellia Giganotosaurus Gigantoraptor Gigantspinosaurus Gilmoreosaurus Gilmoreosaurus Gilmoreosaurus Gilmoreosaurus Giraffatitan Glacialisaurus Glishades Glyptodontopelta Gnathovorax Gobihadros Gobioolithus Gobioolithus Gobipteryx Gobiraptor Gobisaurus Gobititan Gobivenator Gojirasaurus Gondwanatitan Gongpoquansaurus Gongxianosaurus Gorgosaurus Goyocephale Graciliceratops Graciliraptor Gravitholus Gryphoceratops Gryposaurus Gryposaurus Gryposaurus Gryposaurus Guaibasaurus Gualicho Guanlong Guemesia

Hadrosaurus Haestasaurus Hagryphus Halimornis Halszkaraptor Hamititan Hanssuesia Haplocanthosaurus Haplocanthosaurus Haplocheirus Harpymimus Haya Heptasteornis Herrerasaurus Hesperonychus Hesperornis Hesperornis Hesperornis Hesperornis Hesperornis Hesperornis Hesperornis Hesperornis Hesperornis Hesperornis Hesperornis Hesperornithoides Hesperosaurus Heterodontosaurus Hexing Hexinlusaurus Heyuannia Hippodraco Histriasaurus Hollanda Homalocephale Hongshanornis Hoplitosaurus Horshamosaurus Hortalotarsus Huabeisaurus Hualianceratops Huallasaurus Huanansaurus Huanghetitan Huangshanlong Huaxiagnathus Huayangosaurus Hudiesaurus Huehuecanauhtlus Huinculsaurus Hulsanpes Hungarosaurus Hylaeosaurus Hypacrosaurus Hypacrosaurus Hypselosaurus Hypselospinus Hypsilophodon

Iaceornis Iberospinus Ibirania Ichthyornis Ichthyovenator Ignavusaurus Iguanacolossus Iguanodon Iguanodon Iguanodon Ilokelesia Imperobator Incisivosaurus Indosaurus Indosuchus Ingentia Intiornis Invictarx Irisosaurus Irritator Isaberrysaura Isanosaurus Isasicursor Ischioceratops Isisaurus Issi Itapeuasaurus Itemirus Iuticosaurus Iyuku

Jainosaurus Jakapil Jaklapallisaurus Janenschia Jaxartosaurus Jeholornis Jeholornis Jeholornis Jeholosaurus Jeyawati Jianchangornis Jianchangosaurus Jiangjunosaurus Jiangshanosaurus Jiangxisaurus Jianianhualong Jibeinia Jinbeisaurus Jinfengopteryx Jingshanosaurus Jinguofortis Jintasaurus Jinyunpelta Jinzhousaurus Jiuquanornis Jiutaisaurus Jixiangornis Jobaria Judiceratops Judinornis Juratyrant Juravenator

Kaatedocus Kaijiangosaurus Kaijutitan Kakuru Kamuysaurus Kangnasaurus Kansaignathus Kaririavis Karongasaurus Katepensaurus Kayentavenator Kazaklambia Kelmayisaurus Kelumapusaura Kentrosaurus Kerberosaurus Khaan Khinganornis Kholumolumo Khulsanurus Kileskus Kinnareemimus Klamelisaurus Kol Kompsornis Kookne Koparion Koreaceratops Koreanosaurus Koshisaurus Kosmoceratops Kotasaurus Kritosaurus Kryptops Kulceratops Kulindadromeus Kunbarrasaurus Kundurosaurus Kuru Kurupi Kuszholia

Labocania Laevisuchus Laiyangosaurus Lajasvenator Lamarqueavis Lamarqueavis Lamarqueavis Lambeosaurus Lambeosaurus Lambeosaurus Lanzhousaurus Lapampasaurus Laplatasaurus Lapparentosaurus Laquintasaura Latenivenatrix Latirhinus Latirhinus Lavocatisaurus Leaellynasaura Ledumahadi Leinkupal Leonerasaurus Lepidus Leptoceratops Leptorhynchos Leshansaurus Lesothosaurus Lessemsaurus Levnesovia Lexovisaurus Leyesaurus Liaoceratops Liaoningosaurus Liaoningotitan Liaoningvenator Ligabueino Ligabuesaurus Liliensternus Limaysaurus Limenavis Limusaurus Lingwulong Lingyuanosaurus Linhenykus Linheraptor Linhevenator Lirainosaurus Liubangosaurus Llukalkan Lohuecotitan Longicrusavis Longipteryx Longirostravis Longusunguis Lophorhothon Lophostropheus Loricatosaurus Losillasaurus Lourinhasaurus Luanchuanraptor Lucianovenator Lufengosaurus Lufengosaurus Luoyanggia Lurdusaurus Lusotitan Lusovenator Lycorhinus Lythronax

Maaqwi Machairasaurus Machairoceratops Macrocollum Macrogryphosaurus Macrurosaurus Macrurosaurus Magnamanus Magnapaulia Magnosaurus Magyarosaurus Magyarosaurus Mahakala Mahuidacursor Maiasaura Maip Majungasaurus Malarguesaurus Malawisaurus Maleevus Mamenchisaurus Mamenchisaurus Mamenchisaurus Mamenchisaurus Mamenchisaurus Mamenchisaurus Manidens Mantellisaurus Mapusaurus Maraapunisaurus Marmarospondylus Marshosaurus Martharaptor Masiakasaurus Massospondylus Massospondylus Matheronodon Maxakalisaurus Mbiresaurus Medusaceratops Megalosaurus Megapnosaurus Megapnosaurus Megaraptor Mei Melanorosaurus Mendozasaurus Menefeeceratops Mengciusornis Menucocelsior Meraxes Mercuriceratops Meroktenos Metriacanthosaurus Microceratus Microceratus Micropachycephalosaurus Microraptor Microraptor Microraptor Microvenator Mierasaurus Minmi Minotaurasaurus Miragaia Mirarce Mirischia Mnyamawamtuka Moabosaurus Mochlodon Mochlodon Mongolostegus Monkonosaurus Monolophosaurus Mononykus Montanoceratops Morelladon Moros Morrosaurus Mosaiceratops Murusraptor Mussaurus Muttaburrasaurus Muyelensaurus Mymoorapelta Mystiornis

Naashoibitosaurus Nambalia Nankangia Nanningosaurus Nanosaurus Nanshiungosaurus Nanuqsaurus Nanyangosaurus Narambuenatitan Narindasaurus Nasutoceratops Natovenator Navajoceratops Nebulasaurus Nedcolbertia Nedoceratops Neimongosaurus Nemegtomaia Nemegtonykus Neogaeornis Neosodon Neovenator Neuquenornis Neuquenraptor Ngwevu Nhandumirim Niebla Nigersaurus Ningyuansaurus Ninjatitan Niobrarasaurus Nipponosaurus Noasaurus Nodocephalosaurus Nodosaurus Nomingia Nopcsaspondylus Normanniasaurus Notatesseraeraptor Nothronychus Notoceratops Notocolossus Notohypsilophodon Nqwebasaurus Nullotitan Nuthetes

Oceanotitan Ohmdenosaurus Ojoceratops Ojoraptorsaurus Oksoko Olorotitan Omeisaurus Omeisaurus Omeisaurus Omeisaurus Omeisaurus Omeisaurus Omeisaurus Omeisaurus Omnivoropteryx Ondogurvel Oohkotokia Oplosaurus Orkoraptor Ornatops Ornitholestes Ornithomimus Ornithomimus Ornithomimus Ornithopsis Orodromeus Orthomerus Oryctodromeus Osmakasaurus Ostafrikasaurus Ostromia Ouranosaurus Overoraptor Overosaurus Oviraptor Owenodon Oxalaia Ozraptor

Pachycephalosaurus Pachyrhinosaurus Pachyrhinosaurus Pachyrhinosaurus Padillasaurus Palaeopteryx Palintropus Paludititan Pampadromaeus Pamparaptor Panamericansaurus Pandoravenator Panguraptor Panoplosaurus Panphagia Pantydraco Papiliovenator Parabohaiornis Parahesperornis Parahesperornis Parahongshanornis Paralitherizinosaurus Paranthodon Parapengornis Pararhabdodon Parasaurolophus Parasaurolophus Parasaurolophus Paraxenisaurus Pareisactus Parksosaurus Paronychodon Paronychodon Parvicursor Pasquiaornis Pasquiaornis Patagonykus Patagonykus Patagopteryx Patagosaurus Patagotitan Pawpawsaurus Pectinodon Pedopenna Pegomastax Pelecanimimus Pellegrinisaurus Peloroplites Pelorosaurus Pendraig Penelopognathus Pengornis Pentaceratops Perijasaurus Petrobrasaurus Phaedrolosaurus Philovenator Phuwiangosaurus Phuwiangvenator Phyllodon Piatnitzkysaurus Pilmatueia Pinacosaurus Pinacosaurus Piscivoravis Pitekunsaurus Piveteausaurus Planicoxa Plateosaurus Plateosaurus Plateosaurus Platypelta Plesiohadros Pneumatoraptor Poekilopleuron Polacanthus Polarornis Polyodontosaurus Polyonax Potamornis Powellvenator Pradhania Prenocephale Prenoceratops Priconodon Proa Probactrosaurus Probrachylophosaurus Proceratosaurus Procompsognathus Proornis Propanoplosaurus Prosaurolophus Protarchaeopteryx Protoceratops Protoceratops Protognathosaurus Protohadros Psittacosaurus Psittacosaurus Psittacosaurus Psittacosaurus Psittacosaurus Psittacosaurus Psittacosaurus Psittacosaurus Psittacosaurus Psittacosaurus Psittacosaurus Psittacosaurus Pterospondylus Puertasaurus Pukyongosaurus Pulanesaura Punatitan Pycnonemosaurus Pyroraptor

Qantassaurus Qianzhousaurus Qiaowanlong Qijianglong Qinlingosaurus Qiupalong Qiupanykus Quetecsaurus Quilmesaurus

Rahiolisaurus Rahonavis Rajasaurus Rapator Rapaxavis Rapetosaurus Raptorex Ratchasimasaurus Rativates Rayososaurus Rebbachisaurus Regaliceratops Regnosaurus Rhabdodon Rhabdodon Rhadinosaurus Rhinorex Rhoetosaurus Rhomaleopakhus Riabininohadros Rinchenia Rinconsaurus Riojasaurus Riparovenator Rugocaudia Rugops Rukwatitan Ruyangosaurus

Sahaliyania Saichania Saltriovenator Sanjuansaurus Sanpasaurus Santanaraptor Sanxiasaurus Sapeornis Sarahsaurus Sarcosaurus Sarmientosaurus Saturnalia Saurolophus Saurolophus Sauroniops Sauropelta Saurophaganax Sauroplites Sauroposeidon Saurornithoides Saurornitholestes Saurornitholestes Savannasaurus Scansoriopteryx Scelidosaurus Schizooura Schleitheimia Scipionyx Sciurumimus Scolosaurus Scolosaurus Scutellosaurus Secernosaurus Sefapanosaurus Segisaurus Segnosaurus Seitaad Sektensaurus Serendipaceratops Serikornis Shamosaurus Shanag Shantungosaurus Shanweiniao Shanxia Shanyangosaurus Shaochilong Shengjingornis Shenqiornis Shenzhousaurus Shidaisaurus Shingopana Shishugounykus Shixinggia Shri Shuangbaisaurus Shuangmiaosaurus Shunosaurus Shuvuuia Siamodon Siamosaurus Siamotyrannus Siamraptor Siats Sibirotitan Sierraceratops Sigilmassasaurus Silvisaurus Similicaudipteryx Sinocalliopteryx Sinocephale Sinoceratops Sinornithoides Sinornithomimus Sinornithosaurus Sinornithosaurus Sinosauropteryx Sinosaurus Sinosaurus Sinotyrannus Sinovenator Sinraptor Sinraptor Sinusonasus Sirindhorna Skorpiovenator Smitanosaurus Songlingornis Sonidosaurus Sonorasaurus Soriatitan Soroavisaurus Spectrovenator Sphaerotholus Sphaerotholus Sphaerotholus Spiclypeus Spinophorosaurus Spinops Spinosaurus Spinostropheus Staurikosaurus Stegoceras Stegoceras Stegopelta Stegosaurus Stegosaurus Stegosaurus Stegouros Stellasaurus Stenonychosaurus Stenopelix Stokesosaurus Streptospondylus Struthiomimus Struthiosaurus Struthiosaurus Struthiosaurus Styracosaurus Styracosaurus Suchomimus Suchosaurus Suchosaurus Sulcavis Supersaurus Suskityrannus Suuwassea Suzhousaurus Syngonosaurus Szechuanosaurus

Tachiraptor Talarurus Talenkauen Talos Tamarro Tambatitanis Tangvayosaurus Tanius Tanius Tanycolagreus Taohelong Tapuiasaurus Tarbosaurus Tarchia Tarchia Tarchia Tastavinsaurus Tatankacephalus Tataouinea Tatisaurus Taurovenator Tawa Tazoudasaurus Tehuelchesaurus Telmatosaurus Tendaguria Tengrisaurus Tenontosaurus Tenontosaurus Teratophoneus Terminocavus Tethyshadros Texacephale Texasetes Thanatotheristes Thanos Thecocoelurus Thecodontosaurus Theiophytalia Therizinosaurus Thescelosaurus Tianyulong Tianyuornis Tianyuraptor Tianzhenosaurus Tienshanosaurus Timimus Timurlengia Tingmiatornis Titanoceratops Titanosaurus Titanosaurus Tlatolophus Tochisaurus Tonganosaurus Tongtianlong Tornieria Torosaurus Torosaurus Torvosaurus Torvosaurus Torvosaurus Tototlmimus Tralkasaurus Transylvanosaurus Tratayenia Traukutitan Triceratops Triceratops Trierarchuncus Trigonosaurus Trinisaura Triunfosaurus Troodon Tsaagan Tsagantegia Tsintaosaurus Tuebingosaurus Tugulusaurus Tuojiangosaurus Turanoceratops Turiasaurus Tylocephale Tyrannosaurus Tyrannotitan

Uberabatitan Ubirajara Udanoceratops Ultrasaurus Ulughbegsaurus Unaysaurus Unenlagia Unenlagia Unescoceratops Unquillosaurus Urbacodon Utahceratops Utahraptor Uteodon

Vahiny Valdoraptor Valdosaurus Vallibonavenatrix Variraptor Vayuraptor Vectaerovenator Vectiraptor Vegavis Velafrons Velocipes Velociraptor Velociraptor Velocisaurus Venenosaurus Vescornis Vespersaurus Veterupristisaurus Viavenator Vitakridrinda Volgatitan Volkheimeria Vorona Vouivria Vulcanodon

Wakinosaurus Walgettosuchus Wamweracaudia Wannanosaurus Weewarrasaurus Wellnhoferia Wendiceratops Wiehenvenator Wintonotitan Wuerhosaurus Wuerhosaurus Wulagasaurus Wulatelong Wulong

Xenoceratops Xenoposeidon Xenotarsosaurus Xianshanosaurus Xiaosaurus Xiaotingia Xingtianosaurus Xingxiulong Xinjiangovenator Xinjiangtitan Xiongguanlong Xixianykus Xixiasaurus Xiyunykus Xuanhanosaurus Xuanhuaceratops Xunmenglong Xuwulong

Yamaceratops Yamatosaurus Yandangornis Yangavis Yangchuanosaurus Yangchuanosaurus Yanornis Yanornis Yaverlandia Yehuecauhceratops Yi Yimenosaurus Yingshanosaurus Yinlong Yixianornis Yixianosaurus Yizhousaurus Yongjinglong Ypupiara Yuanchuavis Yuanmousaurus Yueosaurus Yulong Yunganglong Yunmenglong Yunnanosaurus Yunnanosaurus Yunnanosaurus Yunyangosaurus Yurgovuchia Yutyrannus Yuxisaurus

Zalmoxes Zalmoxes Zanabazar Zapalasaurus Zaraapelta Zby Zephyrosaurus Zhanghenglong Zhenyuanlong Zhongjianornis Zhongjianosaurus Zhongornis Zhongyuansaurus Zhouornis Zhuchengceratops Zhuchengtyrannus Ziapelta Zigongosaurus Zizhongosaurus Zuniceratops Zuolong Zuoyunlong Zupaysaurus Zuul

[musebait]

Day 3: Bat. Ambopteryx is definitely the cutest avian theropod around. These little omnivores not only had feathers but bat-like membranous wings as well!

[weirdanimal-tournament]

oh man this bracket is going to be SOOO hard for me, I love so many of the guys that got in so much it's unreal. also, as someone who nominated the Sharovipteryx, I am so glad to see that wonderful extinct freak get in. I was torn between nominating the yi qi/ambopteryx vs sharviopteryx as a "failed evolutionary experiment for flight" but personally determined that the sharviopteryx is WAY higher up there in bizarro factor compared to Scansoriopterygidae as a genus lol

I know!! Honestly filtering the list was really difficult once I got past duplicates, I wanted to let everyone in!! And I'd never heard of Sharovipteryx, but they are SO cool I love them

[draconesmundi]

Do YOU believe in dragons?

Difficult question!

Dracones Mundi is a field guide where I design and write about dragons based on mythology and my own knowledge of biology. So given that I am designing these, I know I made them from my own imagination, informed by the real world. So the animals in the book Dracones Mundi are not real. You cannot go out into the world and see one of my green wyverns (Megavipera viride) because it's not a real animal. I made it up. It's fiction. Informed and researched fiction.

I like to think spiritually there's a big ol lump of human imagination dedicated to magical serpents, and that vague concept of 'dragons are a feeling' appeals to me.

And obviously, as someone who has studied fossil crocodiles, I beleive crocodylomorphs are some of the most dragony animals out there, aside from snakes. Which is again why I'm writing a book of crocodile-serpent-beasts.

So I believe dragons are a feeling (that feeling of 'wow cool beastie!!!!') but I don't believe that we'll one day find a fire breathing snake (aside from venomous snakes whose venom burns 'like fire' - puff adders and spitting cobras were inspirations for my dragons). We have 'flying dragons' in the form of flying snakes and lizards, we have awesome and terrifying water reptiles as crocodiles, but for the golden combination of a fire breathing, flying, water dwelling animal you'd have to turn to fiction.

(I'm aware fire breathing is a very western dragon idea. Flying seems kinda universal but not necessary for a dragon design, and wings, by and large, aren't needed for a dragon to fly - see East Asian mythology or flying flaming serpents in the Americas)

What I'm saying is dragons are not wholly biologically plausible unless you bend the rules a little (like my venomous crocodile dragons flying by magic), but I find dragons exciting and I think there is a spiritual gist of what dragons should be in all our hearts, and dragon lovers should persue their love of monsters through studying animals or literature or in general finding a love of mystery and magic in every day life.

Also I haven't addressed pterosaurs or scansauropterygiid dinosaurs in this post because, to me, dragons are scaly and serpentine, whereas these creatures are very compact and short-tailed. They beautifully fit modern interpretations of dragons and I really admire them, especially Yi qi and Ambopteryx, but they are very different to how I categorise mythological dragons in my head, which are usually magical snakes that live in water.

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Bannykus vs Ambopteryx

Factfiles:

Bannykus wulatensis

Artwork by @i-draws-dinosaurs, written by @i-draws-dinosaurs

Name meaning: Half claw from Wulatehouqi

Time: 113 to 100 million years ago (Albian stage of the Early Cretaceous)

Location: Bayin-Gobi Formation, Inner Mongolia, China

If there’s one group of dinosaurs that has most recently gained more fame among casual dinosaur fans it’s probably alvarezsauridae, elevated to stardom by the Mononykus that captured everyone’s hearts in Prehistoric Planet. The bizarre group of single-clawed maniraptorans has been studied for a while, but their evolutionary origins have fairly mysterious until recently. How did that whole giant thumb claw thing happen??

Published in 2018 alongside more basal alvarezsaur Xiyunykus, Bannykus helps to fill in a gap in that evolutionary pathway! More specifically, they help to fill in a 70 million year long gap between the primitive Late Jurassic Haplocheirus and the very end of the Cretaceous! Notably, Bannykus has a larger thumb claw that the rest of its claws, but the other fingers are at least partially functional instead of just nubbins. It’s a lot easier to see how the later alvarezsaurids got to where they are from here! Next time you lose your mind over the Mononykus from Prehistoric Planet (which I do at least weekly), say a thank you to the lil guy with slightly less weird hands. Thumbs up to Bannykus!

Ambopteryx longibrachium

Artwork by Gabriel Ugueto, written by @i-draws-dinosaurs

Name meaning: Both wings with long arms

Time: 163 million years ago (Callovian stage of the Middle Jurassic)

Location: Haifanggou Formation, China

Look, evolution has done a lot of weird stuff to dinosaurs. It put penguins underwater, and did whatever the hall mamenchisaurid necks are, and game lambeosaurs a built-in face trumpet. But I would argue there is one group that represents dinosaur evolution at its most unhinged, and that is scansoropterygidae.

Scansoriopterygids were generally considered “weird little tree dinosaurs” in the 2000s, with long fingers to pick grubs out of bark or something. Then Yi qi swept along in 2015 and revealed that those long fingers were actually supporting membranous bat wings. With an extra bony rod (the “styliform element”) sticking out of the wrist to help support it, because well if you’re a dinosaur evolving bat wings why bother being normal about it after that? Although really, the dinosaurs did it first so bats actually have dinosaur wings.

Yi was sensational, but it was also extremely weird and completely unique. Even other scansoriopterygids didn’t have wing membranes, so the whole bat thing was a bit up in the air. Or not up in the air, as the case may be. But then along comes Ambopteryx, published in 2019, packing another set of skin wings, and the vindication of Yi is complete! 

Ambopteryx preserves a styliform element and wing membrane, as well as a thick coat of feathers, and honestly out of a whole selection of dinosaurs I think these might be some of the most huggable in the lot. Obviously this whole wing membrane thing didn’t end up working out for them long term, but Ambopteryx is part of an incredible lineage that challenged what we thought was possible for dinosaurs!

DMM Round One Masterpost

[trisarahtops-sketches]

Hi!! Long time fan here. If you can't pick a triceratops, what is your favorite dinosaur? Mine is the therizinosaurus! Also have you ever drawn an opossum? Their silly :>

Oh yeah Therizinosaurus is cool. I like Sinosauropteryx and Microraptor, because of the fact that we actually know pretty well what they would have looked like (aka really cute). I also think Yi qi and Ambopteryx are cool, since they might have had membranous wings more like pterosaurs or bats. Basically like little fluffy wyverns!

I don't remember if I have drawn an opossum, but I agree they are silly so I made one real quick

[ambop]

Feed me

[quark-nova]

Dinosaurs good 🦖🦕

Yes!!! My favourite is Ambopteryx they're like a little dragon :3 (and yes they're an actual dinosaur despite having membrane wings like a pterosaur, they evolved on their own)

(amazing reconstruction by Chung-Tat Cheung & Min Wang)