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Epidendrosaurus

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Author: Moondawg

Keywords: extinct animals

Date Released  Nov 22 2009

Current Epidendrosaurus_MD2009.ztd dated 16 November 2009

File Size: 210.33k

Compatibility: DD and CC

Description: Epidendrosaurus ("upon-tree lizard") was a mid-Mesozoic (see "Provenance") maniraptoran dinosaur of the family Scansoriopterygidae.
It was the first non-avian dinosaur found that had clear adaptations to an arboreal or semi-arboreal lifestyle--it is likely that it spent much of its time in trees. The only known specimen shows features indicating it was a juvenile. One distinctive feature of Epidendrosaurus is its elongated third finger, which is the longest on the hand, and bears a vague resemblance to the mammalian aye-aye (in most theropod dinosaurs, the second finger is the longest). Because of their juvenile nature, the size of a full-grown Epidendrosaurus is unknown. The only specimen known so far is a tiny, sparrow-sized creature. The type specimens of Epidendrosaurus contains the fossilized impression of feathers.

Kevin Padian and Alan Feduccia have treated this genus as a synonym of Scansoriopteryx, the former mistakenly treating Scansoriopteryx the junior synonym.

The only known specimen of Epidendrosaurus shows features indicating it was a juvenile. The specimen is partially disarticulated, and most bones are preserved as impressions in the rock slab, rather than three-dimensional structures.

One distinctive feature of Epidendrosaurus is its elongated third finger, which is the longest on the hand (nearly twice as long as the second finger), and may be analogous to the insect-digging finger of the mammalian aye-aye (in most theropod dinosaurs, the second finger is the longest). The only other dinosaur known to have a third finger longer than the first two is the closely related (and possibly synonymous) Scansoriopteryx. Epidendrosaurus is also notable for its wide, rounded jaws. The lower jaw contained at least twelve teeth, larger in the front of the jaws than in the back. The lower jaw bones may have been fused together, a feature otherwise known only in the oviraptorosaurs. The tail was long, six or seven times the length of the femur, and ended in a fan of feathers.

Because the specimen is a juvenile, the size of a full-grown Epidendrosaurus is unknown-the type specimen is a tiny, sparrow-sized creature.

Epidendrosaurus belongs to the family Scansoriopterygidae ("climbing wings"), though the exact taxonomic placement of this family is uncertain. Studies of dinosaur relationships have found Epidendrosaurus to be a close relative of true birds and a member of the clade Avialae.

There has been some degree of uncertainty regarding the status of the name Epidendrosaurus. The type specimen was described online in the online version of the journal Naturwissenschaften on 2002-08-21, while the identical print version (except for the date) was not published until 2002-09-30. However a very similar specimen named Scansoriopteryx heilmanni was described in the 2002-08-01 issue of The Dinosaur Museum Journal.

These two specimens are so similar that they may be the same genus, in which case a strict interpretation of Article 21 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) would give priority to Scansoriopteryx. However, the journal in which Scansoriopteryx appeared has a very small circulation and the issue was not distributed until roughly 2002-09-02, well after the electronic appearance of Epidendrosaurus. The conflict is used as an example in a proposed amendment to the ICZN that would consider electronic articles with Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) that are subsequently available in print to qualify as "publication" for naming purposes. In scientific literature, the genus Scansoriopteryx has been treated as a senior synonym of Epidendrosaurus by Alan Feduccia and as a junior synonym by Kevin Padian.

The holotype specimen of Epidendrosaurus ninchengensis consists mostly of bone imprints in both part and counter part. Impressions indicate a relatively long tail, unlike the apparently short tail seen in Scansoriopteryx.

The fossilized skeleton of Epidendrosaurus was recovered from the Daohugou fossil beds of northeastern China. In the past, there has been some uncertainty regarding the age of these beds. Various papers have placed the fossils here anywhere from the Middle Jurassic period (169 million years ago) to the Early Cretaceous period (122 ma). The age of this formation has implications for the relationship between Epidendrosaurus and similar dinosaurs, as well as for the origin of birds in general. A Middle Jurassic age would mean that the bird-like dinosaurs in the Daohugou beds are older than the "first bird", Archaeopteryx, which was Late Jurassic in age. The provenance of Scansoriopteryx is uncertain, though Wang et al. (2006), in their study of the age of the Daogugou (see below), suggest that it probably hails from the same beds, and thus is likely a synonym of Epidendrosaurus.

Additional info:

Epidendrosaurus_MD2009.ztd                        uca: 78B5E2FB dated 16 November 2009

Results From Configuration Checking:

78b5e2fb.uca date: Mon Nov 16 21:42:54 2009
No Errors or Warnings to show.
Animal Type: 78B5E2FB

Epidendrosaurus

Epidendrosaurus ("upon-tree lizard") was a mid-Mesozoic (see "Provenance")
maniraptoran dinosaur of the family Scansoriopterygidae. It was the first
non-avian dinosaur found that had clear adaptations to an arboreal or
semi-arboreal lifestyle--it is likely that it spent much of its time in trees.
The only known specimen shows features indicating it was a juvenile. One
distinctive feature of Epidendrosaurus is its elongated third finger, which is
the longest on the hand, and bears a vague resemblance to the mammalian
aye-aye (in most theropod dinosaurs, the second finger is the longest).
Because of their juvenile nature, the size of a full-grown Epidendrosaurus is
unknown. The only specimen known so far is a tiny, sparrow-sized creature. The
type specimens of Epidendrosaurus contains the fossilized impression of
feathers.
    (plus 14 other paragraphs)

Animal Characteristics:

Habitat: Rainforest; Location: China; Era: Jurassic
Minimum happiness needed for chance of breeding: 98.
Animal can jump.
Animal can climb cliffs.
Cannot be used in original Zoo Tycoon: cKeeperFoodType (6) is not 0 to 5.

Exhibit Preferences:

Foliage:
Ulmo Tree, Mangrove Tree, Elephant Ear Tree, Foxtail Palm Tree
Llala Palm Tree, Rainforest Bush, Rainforest Fern, Orchid Tree, Kapok Tree
Thouarsus Cycad Tree (DD), Fern Bush (DD), Leptocycas Tree (DD)
Williamsonia Tree (DD), Fallen Rainforest Tree (ES), Rainforest Stump (ES)
Rafflesia (ES), Giant Ficus Tree (ES), Durian Tree (ES)

Rocks:
Large Rock, Large Rock - 1, Large Rock - 2, Large Rock - 3, Large Rock - 4
Small Rock - Medium, Small Rock - Small, Small Rock - 7, Small Rock - 8
Small Rock - 9, Stone Ruins, Rainforest Rock - Formation
Mossy Rainforest Rock (ES), Limestone Rock (ES)

Other specifically liked items:
Jungle Rock - Formation

Exhibit Construction:

Number of animals allowed per exhibit: 3-10 with 20 squares for each adult.

Exhibit size (for 3 adults): 60 grid squares

Terrain (for exhibit with 60 grid squares):
45 Rainforest Floor, 3 Dirt, 9 Grass, 3 Fresh Water

Foliage (for exhibit with 60 grid squares):
4 grid squares should contain foliage.
Foliage that would give the most happiness: Thouarsus Cycad Tree (DD)
Since this is a small plant, greatest happiness will occur
if each of the 4 grid squares contains 4 of this plant.

Rocks (for exhibit with 60 grid squares):
5 Small Rock - Small, which is its most liked rock.

Elevation: Of the 60 squares, 2 nonadjacent squares should be elevated.