Who was the genus name *Xiaotingia* chosen to honor regarding the holotype specimen?
Answer
Zheng Xiaoting
The genus name *Xiaotingia* was specifically selected by the describing team to pay tribute to Zheng Xiaoting. Zheng Xiaoting is recognized for establishing the Shandong Tianyu Museum of Nature, which is the current location where the holotype specimen, STM 27-2, resides. Furthermore, the specific epithet, *zhengi*, was also chosen to honor him, signifying recognition for his contributions within the field of Chinese paleontology. This dedication highlights the importance of the institution housing the fossil in documenting and preserving specimens like this key feathered theropod.
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*?