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More from *Gogosardina

Featured in Groups:

:icondeinonychosauria: #Deinonychosauria
Accurate, high-quality paleoart :iconprehistory-alive: #Prehistory-Alive
Bringing prehistory back to life :iconallartisallowedhere: #AllArtIsAllowedHere
 :iconfeathernazis: #FeatherNazis

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May 29, 2012
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Panasonic
DMC-FZ18
10/600 second
F/4.2
83 mm
400
Jul 12, 2011, 6:09:53 PM
Adobe Photoshop CS4 Windows
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:icongogosardina:
2011, acrylics, photography & digital

120 million years ago, Early Cretaceous (Aptian), Jiufotang Formation, Liaoning, China

In the branches of a gingko, the 4-winged dromaeosaur Microraptor gui pounces on an enantiornithine bird (Sinornis santensis). Briefly losing balance as it clutches the screeching avian, the dinosaur feels around with it's clawed foot to gain a secure purchase before finishing off it's victim with a bite to the head.

A fossil skeleton of Microraptor was described in 2011 showing the partially arcticulated remains of a tree-dwelling enantiornithine in it's tummy. This not only provided direct evidence of Micro's predatory habits, but was viewed as corroborating the idea of an arboreal lifestyle for this dinosaur.

Artwork originally published in: O'Connor, Jingmai; Zhou, Zhonghe and Xu, Xing Xu. Additional specimen of Microraptor provides unique evidence of dinosaurs preying on birds. PNAS November 21, 2011

UPDATE 29/05/2012: Microraptor is recoloured with modifications to the caudal rectrices based on data provided in: Quanguo Li et al. (2012) Reconstruction of Microraptor and the Evolution of Iridescent Plumage. Science Vol. 335 no. 6073 pp. 1215-1219.
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:iconebervalius:
~Ebervalius Nov 19, 2012  Hobbyist General Artist
Incredible! Sinornis looks very real...
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:icongozer-the-destroyor:
~Gozer-The-Destroyor Aug 2, 2012
Kitty. :3
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:icondana-ulama:
*Dana-Ulama Jun 28, 2012  Student Digital Artist
microraptor was named "fossil of the year 2006"!
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:icongogosardina:
*Gogosardina Jul 18, 2012  Professional Traditional Artist
I'm curious - what competition was this?
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:icondana-ulama:
*Dana-Ulama Jul 18, 2012  Student Digital Artist
hm... i read it on wiki but its not there anymore... perhaps it was a spectacular fossil discovery for scientists and thats why they namend it fossil of the year.
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:iconsii-kei:
~sii-kei Jun 14, 2012  Hobbyist Writer
It's as if if I looked outside the window, I could just see the Microraptor jumping through branches chasing little prehistoric birds. Yup, your drawing is that amazing!
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:iconsketchy-raptor:
~Sketchy-raptor Jun 6, 2012  Student General Artist
I love the photomanipulation here, the Microraptor blends perfectly eith the background. Also, are the Sinornis painted or photomanipulated?
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:icongogosardina:
*Gogosardina Jun 8, 2012  Professional Traditional Artist
Largely hand-done (head, torso and legs), but photos of a Western Australia thornbill's coverts are incorporated into the wings.
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:iconfractalfiend:
*fractalfiend May 31, 2012
EEEK! You're so freaking good at bringing these critters to life! (Well, they were alive at one point in time ...)
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:icongogosardina:
*Gogosardina Jun 8, 2012  Professional Traditional Artist
Thanking thee!
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