News Paleontology

This newfound birdlike dinosaur had surprisingly long legs

Fujianvenator prodigiosus may have run or waded in swamps

dinobird illustration

A newfound birdlike dinosaur called Fujianvenator prodigiosus (illustrated) may have lived on the ground in swamps, not high in the trees.

Chuang Zhao

By Nikk Ogasa

Early birdlike dinosaurs are thought to have lived lofty lives up in the trees. But a newly discovered creature had surprisingly long legs that may have made for a life on the run.

The leggy birdlike dino (Fujianvenator prodigiosus) lived about 150 million years ago during the Jurassic Period, researchers report September 6 in Nature.