Along with sharp teeth and claws, this small, birdlike dinosaur, called Xiaotingia zhengi, had feathers on all four limbs. It is not known whether its rear limbs had specialized, asymmetrical flight feathers like Microraptor, but it might still have had some aerial ability. Although it didn’t fly like modern birds, it may have used its feathers to slow aerial descents, pounce on prey, leap up to safety, or flap and run up steep slopes.
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