Epidexipteryx hui

† Epidexipteryx hui — a Middle Jurassic scansoriopterygid theropod from Inner Mongolia, China. Tiny (~25 cm) arboreal dinosaur bearing elaborate ribbon-like display feathers on its tail. Carnivorous insectivore. Notable as the earliest known example of feathers used for display rather than flight.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivore

Epidexipteryx hui 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

Epidexipteryx hui 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.