Cruralispennia multidonta

† Cruralispennia multidonta is an enantiornithine bird from the Early Cretaceous Huajiying Formation of Hebei, China. Its name means 'many-toothed leg-feather bird,' referencing its numerous small conical teeth and the presence of elongated leg feathers. A small toothed avian, it inhabited dense lakeside forests of the Jehol Biota. The presence of hind-limb feathers suggests either aerodynamic function or display, consistent with the four-winged flight hypothesis in early birds.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivore

Cruralispennia multidonta was a meat-eating predator. Carnivorous dinosaurs were active hunters or scavengers, equipped with sharp teeth and claws for catching and consuming prey. They occupied the top of the food chain in their ecosystems.

Time Period

Cretaceous Early Mesozoic Era

Cruralispennia multidonta lived during the Cretaceous Early period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 145,0 to 100,5 million years ago.

The Cretaceous saw continued dinosaur evolution with the rise of ornithopods and early ceratopsians. Flowering plants first appeared and began to transform terrestrial ecosystems. Spinosaurus and other large theropods lived during this time.