古生物學(xué)家認(rèn)為,，鳥類是由恐龍進(jìn)化來的，而且許多恐龍也是兇猛的肉食動(dòng)物,，那么,，剛披上羽毛的恐龍能飛上樹嗎？近日,，美國《國家科學(xué)院院刊》在線發(fā)表中科院古脊椎動(dòng)物與古人類研究所的最新發(fā)現(xiàn)：它們可以飛上樹,！因?yàn)樗鼈兡艽硺錀珓?dòng)物。
那是1.2億年前的一只小盜龍,，古生物學(xué)家在我國遼寧早白堊世的地層中發(fā)現(xiàn)了它的化石,。“在它的腹部，竟然保存了一件不完整的樹棲動(dòng)物殘骸,。”論文第一作者,、古脊椎所美籍博士后鄒晶梅說，“從骨骼化石的保存特點(diǎn)和相對位置推測,，該動(dòng)物很可能是被小盜龍活捉了吞下肚子的,。”
這件標(biāo)本解開了一些謎團(tuán)。古鳥類專家,、中科院古脊椎所研究員周忠和告訴,，這只已經(jīng)成年的小動(dòng)物殘存下了兩只腳，從腳趾看,，屬于典型的樹棲類動(dòng)物,。“要想抓住這只麻雀個(gè)頭的原始小動(dòng)物，小盜龍至少要能在樹枝間滑翔自如,。”
小盜龍吃的會(huì)是掉在地上的死尸嗎,？“可能性不大！”恐龍專家,、古脊椎所研究員徐星認(rèn)為,，一般食腐動(dòng)物會(huì)將尸體撕成一塊塊地慢慢吃，而這只樹棲小動(dòng)物的骨骼排列卻似整只被囫圇吞下,。只有在生擒了獵物,、生怕其逃走的情況下，小盜龍才會(huì)如此心急地進(jìn)食,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
doi:10.1073/pnas.1117727108
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Additional specimen of Microraptor provides unique evidence of dinosaurs preying on birds
O'Connor, Jingmai; Zhou, Zhonghe; Xu, Xing
Preserved indicators of diet are extremely rare in the fossil record; even more so is unequivocal direct evidence for predator–prey relationships. Here, we report on a unique specimen of the small nonavian theropod Microraptor gui from the Early Cretaceous Jehol biota, China, which has the remains of an adult enantiornithine bird preserved in its abdomen, most likely not scavenged, but captured and consumed by the dinosaur. We provide direct evidence for the dietary preferences of Microraptor and a nonavian dinosaur feeding on a bird. Further, because Jehol enantiornithines were distinctly arboreal, in contrast to their cursorial ornithurine counterparts, this fossil suggests that Microraptor hunted in trees thereby supporting inferences that this taxon was also an arborealist, and provides further support for the arboreality of basal dromaeosaurids.
