Sciurumimus albersdoerferi

[DinoToyForum]

Sciurumimus albersdoerferi: A megalosauroid with 'feathers'...

http://www.nature.com/news/rise-of-the-feathered-dinosaurs-1.10933

The abstract from the paper is here: http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2012/06/25/1203238109


(Picture from Archosaur Musings)

Pictures of the filaments and other details in the supplemental material:
http://www.pnas.org/content/suppl/2012/06/26/1203238109.DCSupplemental/pnas.201203238SI.pdf

[ZoPteryx]

It's a good year for feather lovers!!!   This is an awesome discovery, am I wrong in thinking that this is oldest feathered dinosaur yet known?  And a megalosauroid at that!  Maybe Concavenator really did have feathers, or at least quills!   Since it's a juvenile, I guess we can't really tell if the adults were feathered, but it's still a great discovery, right up there with Yutyrannus!

[SBell]

I'm more confused about the name--Squirrel mimic? Okay then...

But the feathered thing is cool. I look forward the BANDits getting huffy over this one...

[Metallisuchus]

I'm more confused about the name--Squirrel mimic? Okay then...

But the feathered thing is cool. I look forward the BANDits getting huffy over this one...

You don't see the resemblance? 

I'm actually getting annoyed with the feather thing. It's great that we know now that a lot of them had feathers, but sometimes you just want a good ole scaly theropod!

[SBell]

I'm more confused about the name--Squirrel mimic? Okay then...

But the feathered thing is cool. I look forward the BANDits getting huffy over this one...

You don't see the resemblance? 

I'm actually getting annoyed with the feather thing. It's great that we know now that a lot of them had feathers, but sometimes you just want a good ole scaly theropod!

It appears that the 'scaly theropod' may be the last vestige of the original-era dinosaur images--along with horned noses, sprawling limbs, and upright kangaroo-posture.  Although this one (the scales) may be the hardest image to shake.

[Metallisuchus]

I'm more confused about the name--Squirrel mimic? Okay then...

But the feathered thing is cool. I look forward the BANDits getting huffy over this one...

You don't see the resemblance? 

I'm actually getting annoyed with the feather thing. It's great that we know now that a lot of them had feathers, but sometimes you just want a good ole scaly theropod!

It appears that the 'scaly theropod' may be the last vestige of the original-era dinosaur images--along with horned noses, sprawling limbs, and upright kangaroo-posture.  Although this one (the scales) may be the hardest image to shake.

What's funny is that several years ago I was so excited about all the feathered finds. Still am, but am I going to have to imagine every single theropod with feathers now?

[SBell]

I'm more confused about the name--Squirrel mimic? Okay then...

But the feathered thing is cool. I look forward the BANDits getting huffy over this one...

You don't see the resemblance? 

I'm actually getting annoyed with the feather thing. It's great that we know now that a lot of them had feathers, but sometimes you just want a good ole scaly theropod!

It appears that the 'scaly theropod' may be the last vestige of the original-era dinosaur images--along with horned noses, sprawling limbs, and upright kangaroo-posture.  Although this one (the scales) may be the hardest image to shake.

What's funny is that several years ago I was so excited about all the feathered finds. Still am, but am I going to have to imagine every single theropod with feathers now?

Imagine if they find really good evidence for an ornithischian with well-defined feathers (or feather-like structures)? I know there are a few out there, but I mean really obvious, clearly feathery coverings. Especially on an evolutionarily-older species?  Then we might have to imagine ridiculous things like feathered stegosaurs!

[Metallisuchus]

I'm more confused about the name--Squirrel mimic? Okay then...

But the feathered thing is cool. I look forward the BANDits getting huffy over this one...

You don't see the resemblance? 

I'm actually getting annoyed with the feather thing. It's great that we know now that a lot of them had feathers, but sometimes you just want a good ole scaly theropod!

It appears that the 'scaly theropod' may be the last vestige of the original-era dinosaur images--along with horned noses, sprawling limbs, and upright kangaroo-posture.  Although this one (the scales) may be the hardest image to shake.

What's funny is that several years ago I was so excited about all the feathered finds. Still am, but am I going to have to imagine every single theropod with feathers now?

Imagine if they find really good evidence for an ornithischian with well-defined feathers (or feather-like structures)? I know there are a few out there, but I mean really obvious, clearly feathery coverings. Especially on an evolutionarily-older species?  Then we might have to imagine ridiculous things like feathered stegosaurs!

Oh God, can you imagine that? Or worse yet, like a feathered Euoplocephalus or Ankylosaurus?

This skeleton looks unbelievably well-preserved though doesn't it?

[Gryphoceratops]

Wow interesting.  Its still a big stretch to say for certain every theropod had feather structures in some form but it looks to be heading in that direction.  Feathered Spinosaurus....Yeah let that image sink in nice and good...

[Patrx]

Imagine if they find really good evidence for an ornithischian with well-defined feathers (or feather-like structures)? I know there are a few out there, but I mean really obvious, clearly feathery coverings. Especially on an evolutionarily-older species?  Then we might have to imagine ridiculous things like feathered stegosaurs!

Wow, that'd be excellent! Everything looks better with feathers 

[Paleona]

I'm more confused about the name--Squirrel mimic? Okay then...

But the feathered thing is cool. I look forward the BANDits getting huffy over this one...

You don't see the resemblance? 

I'm actually getting annoyed with the feather thing. It's great that we know now that a lot of them had feathers, but sometimes you just want a good ole scaly theropod!

While it's awesome that these specimens are being found, I'm going to have to agree with you... personally, it's going to be difficult for me to ditch the scaly theropod look I've come to love, if it turns out they were ALL feathered.  Which I realize is silly and selfish.  Ah well.

Also, call me a noob, I'm having trouble seeing the impressions of feathers on the fossil?  It really is a lovely find, though- so well preserved!

[Gwangi]

I'm more confused about the name--Squirrel mimic? Okay then...

But the feathered thing is cool. I look forward the BANDits getting huffy over this one...

I think squirrel mimic because of the bushy tail perhaps? Odd choice though.

If this is indeed a feathered megalosaur than the odds that all theropoda had some type of feathering is pretty good, even for spinosaurs. Megalosaurs are about as far from coelurosaurs as you can get while still being a theropod. Actually, Tyrannosaurus itself is more closely related to birds than it is to any megalosaur. As difficult as it is to imagine it looks like people are going to need to come to terms with a good portion of their favorite dinosaurs being feathered. I'm nothing but excited about all this.

[Metallisuchus]

I'm more confused about the name--Squirrel mimic? Okay then...

But the feathered thing is cool. I look forward the BANDits getting huffy over this one...

I think squirrel mimic because of the bushy tail perhaps? Odd choice though.

If this is indeed a feathered megalosaur than the odds that all theropoda had some type of feathering is pretty good, even for spinosaurs. Megalosaurs are about as far from coelurosaurs as you can get while still being a theropod. Actually, Tyrannosaurus itself is more closely related to birds than it is to any megalosaur. As difficult as it is to imagine it looks like people are going to need to come to terms with a good portion of their favorite dinosaurs being feathered. I'm nothing but excited about all this.

Seriously, Tyrannosaurs are THAT far removed from Megalosaurs?

[Seijun]

The clarity of that fossil is just amazing! I wasn't sure if it was the real thing at first.

[Gwangi]

I'm more confused about the name--Squirrel mimic? Okay then...

But the feathered thing is cool. I look forward the BANDits getting huffy over this one...

I think squirrel mimic because of the bushy tail perhaps? Odd choice though.

If this is indeed a feathered megalosaur than the odds that all theropoda had some type of feathering is pretty good, even for spinosaurs. Megalosaurs are about as far from coelurosaurs as you can get while still being a theropod. Actually, Tyrannosaurus itself is more closely related to birds than it is to any megalosaur. As difficult as it is to imagine it looks like people are going to need to come to terms with a good portion of their favorite dinosaurs being feathered. I'm nothing but excited about all this.

Seriously, Tyrannosaurs are THAT far removed from Megalosaurs?

Indeed they are. Tyrannosaurs are coelurosaurs which by definition "is the clade containing all theropod dinosaurs more closely related to birds than to carnosaurs." Now megalosaurs are not considered carnosaurs but they are still fairly far removed from coelurosaurs, they are actually related to spinosaurs. I could be off somewhere here though so someone correct me if I missed something. Regardless, this makes feathers for a megalosaur a VERY big deal, more so than feathers for tyrannosaurs I dare say.

[ZoPteryx]

What's funny is that several years ago I was so excited about all the feathered finds. Still am, but am I going to have to imagine every single theropod with feathers now?

Well, it's only a juvenile, so feathers are sort of expected in my opinion.  They could be lost as the animal ages, but then again, maybe not!

Also, call me a noob, I'm having trouble seeing the impressions of feathers on the fossil?  It really is a lovely find, though- so well preserved!

Yeah they're kind of hard to spot on this specimen (we're too spoiled by those exceptional well detailed Chinese fossils!), I wish there was blacklight photo.  They look most visible in the second photo as a series of parallel lines angled out from the vertebrae at the upper right of the photo.

But the feathered thing is cool. I look forward the BANDits getting huffy over this one...

I'm afraid they'll misconstrue it as evidence in favor of their theories.   Or they could always just say it's skin fibers or something.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

Wow interesting.  Its still a big stretch to say for certain every theropod had feather structures in some form but it looks to be heading in that direction.  Feathered Spinosaurus....Yeah let that image sink in nice and good...

I was reading the other day and there was a paleo writer that commented that Spinosaurus is one of the more ridiculous dinosaurs to date, as there is not even enough evidence at this point to speculate beyond it having been some form of crocodile, by actual known evidence.  I do find it odd there is not more fossil evidence for such a widely accepted animal.

[CityRaptor]

A feathered Megalosaurid? Wow! Guess we can really kiss the scaly Theropods goodbye soon. For some odd reason I now want someone to draw a feathered Earl Sinclair....

[Sharptooth]

A feathered Megalosaurid? Wow! Guess we can really kiss the scaly Theropods goodbye soon.

Not quite. Scales and feathers don't always exclude themselves (even modern birds still retain some scales, at least on their feet  ).

Great to see they named the critter, though the name reminds me of an old traditional song from Sicily:

Sciuri, sciuri, sciuri di tuttu l'annu
l'amuri ca mi dasti ti lu tornu.
Sciuri, sciuri, sciuri di tuttu l'annu
l'amuri ca mi dasti ti lu tornu.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

A feathered Megalosaurid? Wow! Guess we can really kiss the scaly Theropods goodbye soon. For some odd reason I now want someone to draw a feathered Earl Sinclair....

That would certainly make the mating dance easier for him.. lol