Recently, Researcher Junchang Lv from the Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, and Dr. Steve Brusatte from the University of Edinburgh in the UK jointly discovered the largest feathered dromaeosaurid dinosaur known to date, which has been named Zhenyuanosaurus suni.

　　Zhenyuanlong belongs to the dromaeosaurid family and lived during the Early Cretaceous period, about 125 million years ago. Its fossil is nearly complete, with an individual length exceeding 1.5 meters. It boasts remarkably well-preserved bird-like wings, densely covered with feathers on both its forelimbs and tail. Compared to other species within the same family, Zhenyuanlong has shorter forelimbs and features multi-layered, large feathers with a highly complex feather structure. The discovery of a dromaeosaurid dinosaur like Zhenyuanlong—possessing such intricate, goose-quill-like feathers—is the first of its kind ever reported. This finding highlights that long-feathered dinosaurs with large, complex feathers were far more diverse than previously thought.

　　Although Zhenyuanlong possesses wings similar to those of birds, it probably couldn't fly—at least not in the same way as modern birds, which rely on powerful muscles to power their flight. The exact function of these short wings remains unclear. Most likely, they evolved from the wings of flying ancestors and now serve merely as a display feature, much like how peacocks flaunt their colorful tails.