Tiny Velociraptor relative discovered in China that glided like a flying squirrel

Fossils unearthed in northwestern China have revealed a small, feathered dinosaur, closely related to the fearsome Velociraptor, which likely preyed on the abundant bird populations of the Cretaceous Period. Researchers suggest this opportunistic carnivore, about the size of a barn owl, may have glided through the ancient lakeside ecosystem, ambushing its avian meals.

Named Jian changmaensis, the dinosaur lived approximately 120 million years ago. Scientists believe it was covered in feathers, not just on its forelimbs but also its hindlimbs, and inhabited both the ground and trees. Its unique morphology hints at a predatory style akin to a flying squirrel, launching surprise attacks on unsuspecting prey.

"Jian would look like a small Velociraptor – the real Velociraptor, not the scaly thing in 'Jurassic Park' – but with long feathers on both the forelimbs and hindlimbs instead of just the former," explained palaeontologist Matt Lamanna of Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, a co-leader of the study published in the journal Annals of Carnegie Museum. He added, "I often describe Jian as a Velociraptor trying to be a flying squirrel – except, of course, that Jian was predatory and flying squirrels aren't."

The bones of Jian were discovered in China's Gansu Province, a fossil-rich area renowned for its exceptionally preserved bird remains. Among these finds were broken bird bones, crushed into pellets resembling those regurgitated by modern owls after consuming prey. Researchers theorise that Jian engaged in similar behaviour. "Jian is of the correct size and suspected ecology to have been the 'pellet maker'," Mr Lamanna noted.

Jian, named after a mythical Chinese flying creature, is identified from five shoulder and arm bones. While these remains are incomplete, they are distinct enough from its close relative, Microraptor, which lived concurrently in China, to confirm it as a separate species. Like Microraptor, which famously sported a "four-winged" appearance due to feather-covered arms and legs, Jian is thought to have shared a similar body plan.

All meat-eating dinosaurs belong to the theropod group, which encompassed a vast range of sizes, from the colossal Tyrannosaurus to smaller creatures that filled ecological niches similar to today's weasels or wolverines. Birds themselves evolved from small feathered dinosaurs during the Jurassic Period, with Archaeopteryx, dating back around 150 million years, being the earliest known bird.

The ancient ecosystem would have provided an ample food source for Jian, including the pigeon-sized, semi-aquatic Gansus, likely equipped with webbed feet and a mouthful of teeth, much like Archaeopteryx. Other bird species present included Feitianius, Changmaornis, Avimaia, Novavis, and Meemannavis.

"Jian was probably an ambush predator, stalking and pouncing on distracted birds that were working on finding their own meals," said paleontologist Jingmai O'Connor of the Field Museum in Chicago, another study leader. "We know Microraptor was an opportunistic predator that fed on birds as well as lizards, mammals and even fish. Jian was likely the same, eating whatever it could catch. Dense bird populations may also have been seasonal, forcing Jian to have a diverse diet."

The true Velociraptor, much smaller than its cinematic portrayal, was about the size of a large turkey and lived in Asia approximately 45 million years after Jian. Both Velociraptor and Jian, along with Microraptor, belong to the dromaeosaur group, informally known as raptors, characterised by bodies adapted for speed and tenacity. While Utahraptor, the largest of the raptors, could reach up to 7 metres long, Jian measured just over 1 metre, including its tail.

Referring to the lineage that includes Jian and Microraptor, Mr Lamanna concluded: "They're extraordinarily closely related to the earliest birds such as Archaeopteryx – really, just about as close as you can be to being a bird without actually being a bird yourself."