Crateropteryx colei

† Crateropteryx colei is an ichnospecies of avian or proto-avian wing-feather trace from the Middle Jurassic, representing preserved impressions of flight feathers in sediment. These delicate ichnofossils record the wing morphology of early feathered theropods long before skeletal body fossils were recovered from the same region. Their asymmetric vane structure suggests aerodynamic adaptation consistent with powered flight or gliding.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivore

Crateropteryx colei 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

Jurassic Middle Mesozoic Era

Crateropteryx colei lived during the Jurassic Middle period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 174.7 to 161.5 million years ago.

Dinosaur diversity continued to increase, with the evolution of large sauropods and diverse theropods. Stegosaurs first appeared, and the supercontinent Pangaea was breaking apart.