13 - DINOSAUR FOSSIL SKELETON, ANCHIORNIS

DINOSAUR FOSSIL SKELETON, ANCHIORNIS CHINA, LATE JURASSIC PERIOD, 165 - 153 MILLION YEARS B.P. a well preserved Anchiornis skeleton, set within the original limestone matrix 62cm across Provenance: Private collection, London, United Kingdom, acquired 2000s The small, feathered Anchiornis huxleyi was a species of dinosaur that lived around 160 million years ago during the Late Jurassic, in what is now northeastern China. It inhabited a warm, humid, forested environment, where dense vegetation, lakes and wooded landscapes provided shelter and an abundance of small animals. Measuring around 60 centimetres in length, Anchiornis was covered in feathers, with particularly long plumage extending along its arms, legs and tail. It was likely a carnivore, feeding on small lizards, fish and insects, while larger predatory dinosaurs would have posed a threat to it. Despite its impressive covering of feathers, Anchiornis was probably unable to achieve true powered flight, although its feathered limbs may have helped it glide or manoeuvre between trees. The present specimen is exceptionally well preserved, retaining an extraordinary level of detail, from the individual claws and delicate bones to the finer features of its skeletal structure.