Caudipteryx zoui Caudipteryx

Caudipteryx (meaning “tail feather”) is a genus of small oviraptorosaurian dinosaurs that lived in China during the Early Cretaceous, around 124.6 million years ago. They were feathered and extremely bird-like in their overall appearance, to the point that some paleontologists suggested it was a bird. Two species have been described: C. zoui (the type species), in 1998, and C. dongi, in 2000. Caudipteryx had a stout trunk, long legs, and was probably a swift runner. Its discovery has led to many intensive studies and debate over the relationship between birds and dinosaurs.