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
click to enlarge
Jian is a microraptorine dromaeosaur, and the only non-avian dinosaur so far discovered from the Xiagou Formation of what is now China. Typical of microraptorinae, Jian had long pennaceous feathers growing from its arms as well as its legs, and was small in size, growing to approximately 1 m in total body length. © TotalDino · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia
Jian
Jian
Jian
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
News 1
New Microraptorine Dinosaur Discovered in China
New Microraptorine Dinosaur Discovered in China
China Cretaceous Early Cretaceous specimen Dinosauria +3
Jian changmaensis is the first non-avian dinosaur found at a paleontological site that has yielded more than 100 specimens of Early Cretaceous birds. The post New Microraptorine Dinosaur Discovered in China appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
04/06/2026 sci-news
Images 5
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 ↗