Feathered dinosaur tail preserved in amber

[Silvanusaurus]

I think we're moving closer to finding a whole dinosaur trapped in amber one day..at least i hope so!

Amber is tree sap right? I have a hard time imagining a tree leaking enough sap to preserve an entire dinosaur but it sure would be cool if we got one of T Rex and finally put the whole feather debate to rest.

Bear in mind that it says this dinosaur would only have been the size of a sparrow, so it wouldn't be that much of a stretch.

[EmperorDinobot]

It's impossible to know the taphonomic details on this fella. All we know is that we're so lucky to be seeing this now!

Impossible to be sure, but I think it's safe to rule out dromaeosaurs and true birds since the vertebrae aren't fused or supported.

"taphonomic", not taxonomic.

Yip!

[ItsTwentyBelow]

What an incredible fossil.

[Simon]

is here:  http://www.palaeocast.com/feathered-dinosaur-tail/

[The Atroxious]

Look at that beauty!!!!!

Anybody else fascinated by the weird branching patterns of those feathers?

It is indeed weird. They look like very long, very thin semiplumes. Interesting arrangement for tail feathers. I'm very curious as to what kind of dinosaur this is, since there's a chance it will give us some more insight into the evolution of complex feathers.

[Dinomike]

This is really interesting and astounding! I'm really interested in finding out what they find inside the amber on a molecular level.

[Halichoeres]

My pet taphonomy theory for this is that some larger dinosaur or maybe a pterosaur was dismembering the little guy and dropped the tail on a sticky bit of branch, where it was slowly covered as it dried out.

Turns out this part of Myanmar has recently produced literally tons of amber, so there could be all kinds of interesting stuff left to discover.

[Sigmasaurus]

Wow, I heard about it recently, it's a fascinating find!

[Silvanusaurus]

Someone, somewhere in the world could have a piece of amber with supposed 'plant' remains in it that just 'coincidentally' happen to have a shape resembling a strange little bird with teeth... and they think "Ha, ferns had some pretty funky shapes back then, didn't they?"
Not that funky, mate. Not that funky.

[Faelrin]

I just found out about this. Came here immediately because I was sure this news was posted here. First the wings in amber, now a tail! This may be the closest we ever get to see what these animals were like, with the skin, etc, still on them. It also seems so surreal looking at something so ancient and yet still here. An artifact of the past, but a modern treasure that one is. I don't know if I will ever be ready for the day if they find a head in amber though. That may be truly shocking, and awesome, at the same time. 

[ceratopsian]

... It also seems so surreal looking at something so ancient and yet still here......

My feeling exactly.  I'm astonished and awed.  I'm thrilled such a wonderful fossil has surfaced in my lifetime.

[laticauda]

The colors on the tail were chestnut brown with a pale or white underside.  This is not a complaint with such an amazing and wonderful discovery, but it would have been awesome if it had a more colorful feathers. 

[Derek.McManus]

I just found out about this. Came here immediately because I was sure this news was posted here. First the wings in amber, now a tail! This may be the closest we ever get to see what these animals were like, with the skin, etc, still on them. It also seems so surreal looking at something so ancient and yet still here. An artifact of the past, but a modern treasure that one is. I don't know if I will ever be ready for the day if they find a head in amber though. That may be truly shocking, and awesome, at the same time.

Sums up how I feel too...as a child growing up in the 70's I never dreamed about the things we would find out about dinosaurs...In my day they dragged their tails and lived in swamps!

[Moodyraptor]

The colors on the tail were chestnut brown with a pale or white underside.  This is not a complaint with such an amazing and wonderful discovery, but it would have been awesome if it had a more colorful feathers.

While a brightly coloured dinosaur would be extremely cool, chestnut brown can be a really striking colour on extant dinosaurs - I'm thinking of birds like red kites, they have chestnut brown feathers and when the sun catches them they flash bright red, they're incredibly beautiful birds.   

This is just such an incredible discovery, I can't stop looking at it.

[laticauda]

The colors on the tail were chestnut brown with a pale or white underside.  This is not a complaint with such an amazing and wonderful discovery, but it would have been awesome if it had a more colorful feathers.

While a brightly coloured dinosaur would be extremely cool, chestnut brown can be a really striking colour on extant dinosaurs - I'm thinking of birds like red kites, they have chestnut brown feathers and when the sun catches them they flash bright red, they're incredibly beautiful birds.   

This is just such an incredible discovery, I can't stop looking at it.

Good point! 

[Mamasaurus]

Wow! I never cease to be amazed by the beauty of such amazing fossils. What a great time to be alive! Just more proof that prehistoric life was just as diverse, beautiful, and interesting as our modern ecosystems. Like those feathers. Without the limitations of flight, who knows how many different shapes feathers had?

[Paleogene Pals]

Imagine, I get to see such things. The image of the dinosaur has changed so dramatically in my lifetime. What discoveries await!

[Stuckasaurus (Dino Dad Reviews)]

The colors on the tail were chestnut brown with a pale or white underside.  This is not a complaint with such an amazing and wonderful discovery, but it would have been awesome if it had a more colorful feathers.

While a brightly coloured dinosaur would be extremely cool, chestnut brown can be a really striking colour on extant dinosaurs - I'm thinking of birds like red kites, they have chestnut brown feathers and when the sun catches them they flash bright red, they're incredibly beautiful birds.   

This is just such an incredible discovery, I can't stop looking at it.

Good point! 

Indeed! While not necessarily very flashy, certain combinations of shades of brown and white can be very pleasing to the eye. I always picture pet finches when I try to imagine dromaeosaur plumage. I particularly like the Spice Finch:

[EmperorDinobot]

My pet taphonomy theory for this is that some larger dinosaur or maybe a pterosaur was dismembering the little guy and dropped the tail on a sticky bit of branch, where it was slowly covered as it dried out.

Turns out this part of Myanmar has recently produced literally tons of amber, so there could be all kinds of interesting stuff left to discover.

I like to believe that the rest of the baby is out there encased in glops of amber. But it probably decomposed as the resin hardened just that section while carnivorous bugs fed on the rest of it. It's a really weird taphonomic scenario. Everything applies. Then again there's the digging and polishing part.

[Neosodon]

The colors on the tail were chestnut brown with a pale or white underside.  This is not a complaint with such an amazing and wonderful discovery, but it would have been awesome if it had a more colorful feathers.

Now wild safari has an excuse for why half of their models are brown with white undersides.