Fossilized Psittacosaurus reveals early feathered dinosaurs had scaly skin like reptiles and soft, bird-like skin where feathers were present.
A new study of a fossilized Psittacosaurus reveals that early feathered dinosaurs had scaly skin like reptiles while also developing bird-like features, suggesting they retained reptile skin for protection during feather evolution. The fossil, found in China, contains patches of preserved skin revealing zoned development in the dinosaur's skin, with scaly skin in areas without feathers and soft, bird-like skin in feathered areas.
May 21, 2024
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