Chinese Journal of Nature ›› 2021, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (2): 119-126.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2021.02.006

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The discoveries and research progress of Oviraptorosauria from the Jehol Biota

QIU Rui①②③, WANG Xiaolin①②④   

  1. ①Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS), Beijing 100044, China; ②CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing 100044, China; ③Beijing Museum of Natural History, Beijing 100050, China; ④College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of CAS, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2020-09-18 Online:2021-04-25 Published:2021-04-22

Abstract: Oviraptorosauria is an unusual group of Theropods, which has a highly specialize skull, and a habit of protecting their eggs. Oviraptorosauria possess some characters similar to bird, the studies of this group have great significance for the origin of the bird. Because of the loss of the early species, there was dispute about the classification of Oviraptorosauria among Theropods. Since 1990s, several early oviraptorosaurids, including Caudipteridae, has been found from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota of western Liaoning, China. Some caudipterid specimens preserved the soft tissues such as the feather, and the gastroliths. The study of this group gives important information of the early evolution and the habit of Oviraptorosauria, the evolution of the feather and other soft tissues. A new caudipterid species Xingtianosaurus ganqi, which was reported in 2019, provided new understanding of the evolution of the manus and the sternum along coelurosauria.