Paraprotopteryx

Paraprotopteryx Temporal range: Early Cretaceous, 122 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Dinosauria
Clade:	Saurischia
Clade:	Theropoda
Clade:	Avialae
Clade:	†Enantiornithes
Genus:	†Paraprotopteryx Zheng, Zhang & Hou, 2007
Species:	†P. gracilis
Binomial name
†Paraprotopteryx gracilis Zheng, Zhang & Hou, 2007

Paraprotopteryx is a genus of enantiornithean birds from the Mesozoic of China.^[1]

In 2007, the type species Paraprotopeteryx gracilis was named and described by Zheng Xiaoting, Zhang Zihui and Hou Lianhai. The generic name means "near Protopteryx", in reference to a presumed similarity with that genus. The specific name is intended to mean "pretty".^[1]

The holotype is specimen STM V001. It consists of a skeleton with skull on a plate and counterplate. The investigation preceding the description of the species proved that fossil traders had added the skull of a different individual to the torso. The description is based on the rump parts. Feathers have been preserved. The rump represents a subadult individual.^[1]

Though initially reported to be from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation, later investigation showed that the fossil actually came from the Qiaotou Member of the Huajiying Formation of Fengning, Hebei Province, China, and is therefore of uncertain age. While much of the Huajiying Formation underlies the Yixian Formation,^[2] Ji and colleagues suggested in 2008 that the Qiaotou Member correlates with the Dawangzhangzi beds of the Yixian Formation, dated to approximately 122 million years ago by Zhou Zhonghe in 2006.^[3]