Genus
Valid Extinct

Jian

Zhou et al. 2026

Jian changmaensis is an extinct species of microraptorine theropod dinosaur known from the Early Cretaceous Xiagou Formation of China. J. changmaensis is the only species in the genus Jian, known from a pectoral girdle and partial forelimb. After the discovery of more than 100 bird fossils in the formation, this specimen is the first non-avian dinosaur to be described from it.

Temporal range
Triassic
Jurassic
Cretaceous
Paleogene
Neogene
252 201 145 66 0 Ma
PBDB occurrences
1
Group
Dinosaures
Carnivore Ground dwelling Terrestrial
Jian
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Wikimedia
PBDB ↗ Wikipedia ↗
Classification
Dinosauria Unranked clade
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Theropoda Unranked clade
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Neotheropoda Unranked clade
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Averostra Unranked clade
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Tetanurae Unranked clade
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Coelurosauria Unranked clade
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Maniraptora Unranked clade
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Paraves Unranked clade
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Deinonychosauria Infraorder
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Dromaeosauridae Family
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Microraptorinae Subfamily
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Jian Genus
Fossil sites 1 geolocated sites
Distribution
Top countries
🇨🇳 China
1
Geological formations
Xiagou
1
Temporal distribution
Aptian (121.4–113.2 Ma)
1
Species (1)
Jian changmaensis 121 Ma
Bibliography
Original description
L. Zhou, M. C. Lamanna, and A. W. Poust, D. Li, H. You, J. K. O.'Connor. 2026. First non-avian theropod (Dromaeosauridae, Microraptorinae) from the bird-bearing Lower Cretaceous Xiagou Formation of the Changma Basin, Gansu Province, northwestern China. Annals of Carnegie Museum 92(2):89-110 DOI ↗
Bibliography (1)
L. Zhou, M. C. Lamanna, and A. W. Poust, D. Li, H. You, J. K. O.'Connor. 2026. First non-avian theropod (Dromaeosauridae, Microraptorinae) from the bird-bearing Lower Cretaceous Xiagou Formation of the Changma Basin, Gansu Province, northwestern China. Annals of Carnegie Museum 92(2):89-110 DOI ↗