Fujianvenator prodigiosus was a small, bird-like dinosaur that lived in what is now China during the Late Jurassic period, about 160 million years ago. It was named after Fujian Province, where it was discovered, and the Latin word “prodigiosus,” meaning “prodigious” or “wonderful.”
Fujianvenator was only about the size of a chicken, but it had a long, slender body and long legs that suggest it was a fast runner. It also had a long tail that may have helped it balance. Its teeth were sharp and serrated, suggesting that it was a carnivore.
Fujianvenator is one of the earliest known anchiornithids, a group of dinosaurs that are thought to be the ancestors of birds. Anchiornithids were characterized by their long legs, short arms, and bird-like features, such as feathers and a wishbone.
The discovery of Fujianvenator is important because it provides new insights into the evolution of birds. It suggests that birds evolved from dinosaurs that were already adapted to a terrestrial lifestyle, rather than from dinosaurs that spent most of their time in trees.