Sequential Molt in a Feathered Dinosaur and Implications for Early Paravian Ecology and Locomotion
Open accessAbstract
Feather molt is an important life-history process in birds, but little is known about its evolutionary history. Here, we report on the first fossilized evidence of sequential wing feather molt, a common strategy among extant birds, identified in the Early Cretaceous four-winged dromaeosaurid Microraptor. Analysis of wing feather molt patterns and ecological properties in extant birds imply that Microraptor maintained its flight ability throughout the entire annual cycle, including the molt period. Therefore, we conclude that flight was essential for either its daily foraging or escaping from predators. Our findings propose that the development of sequential molt is the outcome of evolutionary forces to maintain flight capability throughout the entire annual cycle in both extant birds and non-avialan paravian dinosaurs from 120 mya. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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The isolated feather (holotype) of Archaeopteryx was white and black.
“Chemical analyses of the isolated feather (holotype), interpreted as a dorsal wing covert, indicate it was white and black [112, 113].”
From The ecology of Archaeopteryx (2026) · cites this paper as [112]
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A comprehensive phylogeny of birds (Aves) using targeted next-generation DNA sequencing
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An integrative approach to understanding bird origins
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Self-citationWing-assisted incline running and the evolution of flight.
Dial, K. P. (2003) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1078237 · Cited by 236 · see citing works
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Functional constraints on the number and shape of flight feathers
Kiat, Y., & O’Connor, J. K. (2024) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.2306639121 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Self-citationO’Connor, J. K., & Clark, A. D. (2026) · Discover Ecology · doi:10.1007/s44396-026-00026-z
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- Authors
- Kiat, Y., Balaban, A., Sapir, N., O’Connor, J. K., Wang, M., & Xu, X.
- Affiliations
- University of Haifa (IL)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Kiat, Yosef
- Xu, Xing
- Venue
- Current Biology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2020-09
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 18
- Pages
- 3633-3638.e2
- ISSN
- 0960-9822 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3042571846
- Cited by
- 27
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4
- FWCI
- 2.29
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Current Biology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (41688103)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Fossil Insects in Amber
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Keywords
- Microraptor, feathered dinosaurs, dromaeosaurids, flight ability, annual cycle, Lower Cretaceous
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Feathers, Flight, Animal, Wings, Animal, Ecosystem, Molting, Dinosaurs
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