By approximately how many million years did *Xiaotingia zhengi* predate *Archaeopteryx* based on their respective geological ages?
Answer
11 million years
*Xiaotingia* holds significant phylogenetic importance as it lived slightly earlier than *Archaeopteryx*. The text establishes that *Xiaotingia* existed around 155 million years ago (Middle to Late Jurassic Period), whereas *Archaeopteryx* is dated to approximately 144 million years ago. The temporal difference between these two fossil records is calculated by subtracting 144 from 155, resulting in an 11-million-year gap. This relative timing suggests *Xiaotingia* represents an even earlier experiment in the dinosaur-to-bird transition than the more famous *Archaeopteryx*.
Related Questions
To which biological family does the dinosaur *Xiaotingia zhengi* belong, alongside its relatives?What was the approximate average length reported for the very small, bird-like dinosaur *Xiaotingia zhengi*?What functional adaptation were the proportionally long forelimbs of *Xiaotingia* hypothesized to be used for?Where were long, pennaceous feathers specifically noted to adorn the lower hindlimbs of *Xiaotingia zhengi*?What significant anatomical measurement relationship exists between the femur and the humerus in *Xiaotingia*?What is the presumed main component of the carnivorous diet for *Xiaotingia zhengi*, suggested by its reduced dentition?Which term describes the combination of lifestyle attributes for *Xiaotingia*, involving time spent both on the ground and in trees?How many teeth were believed to be present in the dentary bone of *Xiaotingia zhengi*?What was the maximum recorded length of the feathers growing from the femur of *Xiaotingia zhengi*?By approximately how many million years did *Xiaotingia zhengi* predate *Archaeopteryx* based on their respective geological ages?