To what epoch do the sedimentary rocks containing *Xiaotingia zhengi* date?
Answer
Late Jurassic
The sedimentary rocks that entombed the fossils of *Xiaotingia zhengi* are definitively dated to the Late Jurassic epoch. This temporal placement is significant because it situates *Xiaotingia* as a contemporary, albeit geographically separate, evolutionary experiment relative to other early avialans such as *Archaeopteryx*. Understanding this Late Jurassic context helps scientists trace the evolutionary steps bridging non-avian dinosaurs and true birds. The age contrast is highlighted when compared to *Archaeopteryx*, whose remains come from slightly younger Tithonian stage rocks.
Related Questions
In which geological formation were the remains of *Xiaotingia zhengi* recovered?To what epoch do the sedimentary rocks containing *Xiaotingia zhengi* date?What feature was evidenced on the forelimbs of *Xiaotingia* found at the Tiaojishan site?What specific term describes the extraordinary fossil preservation quality of the Tiaojishan Formation site?What structures are compared between *Xiaotingia* and *Archaeopteryx* to aid in resolving taxonomic placement?How does the age of *Xiaotingia* compare temporally to the *Archaeopteryx* fossils found in Solnhofen, Germany?What was the initial taxonomic classification assigned to *Xiaotingia* by researchers?Which specific location within the Tiaojishan Formation yielded fossils vital for understanding avian relatives in the Jurassic?What potential function, other than powered flight, is suggested for the pennaceous feathers of *Xiaotingia*?What environmental condition likely resulted in the exceptional preservation of soft tissues in the Tiaojishan Formation?