Fukuipteryx prima

† Fukuipteryx prima — an Early Cretaceous pygostylian bird from Japan's Kitadani Formation. Among the earliest birds with a pygostyle (fused tail vertebrae). Small carnivorous avian; the pygostyle enabled modern-style tail-fan flight control. Represents early avian evolution in the Japanese archip.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivore

Fukuipteryx prima 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

Fukuipteryx prima 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.