Ambopteryx

Ambopteryx is a genus of scansoriopterygid dinosaur, known from the Oxfordian stage of the Late Jurassic period in China. It holds significant scientific interest as one of the few dinosaur species discovered with evidence of both feathers and bat-like membranous wings. This unique combination sets it apart and provides valuable insights into the diversity of flight and aerial locomotion among dinosaurs.

Discovery and Naming

The genus name, Ambopteryx, is a combination of the Latin word "ambo" meaning "both" and the Ancient Greek word "pteryx" meaning "wing." This nomenclature reflects the dinosaur's dual wing characteristics. The species name, Ambopteryx longibrachium, highlights its particularly long upper arm. The holotype specimen, IVPP V24192, is a remarkably well-preserved, articulated skeleton that includes associated soft tissue, discovered in 2017 in Liaoning Province, China, within the Yanliao Biota. The specimen is considered to be a subadult or adult based on the fusion of its pygostyle.

Description and Paleobiology

Ambopteryx shared several traits with other scansoriopterygids, including a short, blunt head and an exceptionally elongated third finger. While once thought to be used for grub extraction, this hyper-elongate finger is now believed to have been crucial for supporting the wing membrane, or patagium, which stretched from the third finger to the abdomen. The forelimbs were longer than the hindlimbs, with the ulna being shorter than the humerus. Unlike most non-avian theropods, Ambopteryx possessed a short tail that terminated in a pygostyle, a feature shared with some oviraptorosaurs and therizinosaurs. Analysis of the abdominal region revealed gastroliths and fragments of bone, suggesting that Ambopteryx was omnivorous, likely consuming a varied diet. Its close relative, Yi, was the first dinosaur discovered with similar wing structures, and Ambopteryx is considered its sister taxon.