What modern bird is *Xiaotingia*'s estimated size comparable to, given its small stature?
Answer
A modern hen or chicken
When assessing the scale of *Xiaotingia*, its physical dimensions reveal it was quite small by dinosaurian standards. Estimates indicate its total length was approximately 60 centimeters, equating to about 23.6 inches, and its mass was very low, hovering near 0.82 kilograms, or 1.8 pounds. To provide a relatable context for its diminutive size, this creature's mass and dimensions were roughly equivalent to that of a modern hen or chicken. This small size, combined with its extensive feathering, contributes to its status as an enigmatic, early feathered theropod whose morphology is key to understanding the early evolution of Paraves.
Related Questions
What is the holotype specimen ID for *Xiaotingia* found in the Tiaojishan Formation?Who was the genus name *Xiaotingia* chosen to honor regarding the holotype specimen?During which geologic interval did *Xiaotingia* live, estimated around 165 to 153 million years ago?What modern bird is *Xiaotingia*'s estimated size comparable to, given its small stature?What specific type of feather impressions were noted on the tibia and metatarsus of *Xiaotingia*?How did the femur length compare to the humerus length in *Xiaotingia*'s potentially flight-related arm structure?Which superorder assignment consistently includes *Xiaotingia* within the hierarchy leading to birds?Which grouping did the initial 2011 analysis controversially position *Xiaotingia* and *Anchiornis* within?Which clade did Senter et al. (2012) suggest *Xiaotingia* was the most primitive member of in a revised analysis?What evolutionary concept describes the acquisition of bird traits independently across several closely related lineages like those in the Yanliao Biota?What cranial feature does *Xiaotingia*'s shallow snout align it morphologically closer to, rather than basal avialans like *Jeholornis*?