A portrait of Anchiornis huxleyi, a small theropod dinosaur, was unveiled in Beijing Museum of Natural History (BMNH) on March 10. The artist's impression revealed the true color of dinosaur feathers for the first time. Research fellows of BMNH cooperated with Peking University, Yale University, the University of Akron and the University of Texas on the project.

The artist's impression of Anchiornis huxleyi [chinanews.com.cn] See more photos here.

The scientists used an electron microscope to analyze the pigmentation chemical melanosome in 29 feather samples from Anchiornis huxleyi found in China. They deduced the colors of the dinosaur's feathers by comparing its melanosome with that found in modern birds.

A thesis will be published in Science magazine on March 12 crediting BMNH as principal author. The museum's curator Meng Qingjin said that the portrait would be put on public show soon.

Anchiornis huxleyi lived 155 million years ago and looked rather like a chicken with a woodpecker's beak and spots on its face. Its crest was reddish-brown and its wings had black and white stripes. Meng said that it would be very eye-catching creature if it was still alive.

Curator of Beijing Museum of Natural History Meng Qingjin (right) and colleague discuss the color of Anchiornis huxleyi's feathers. [chinanews.com.cn] See more photos here.

According to Meng, the colors in the portrait are very close to those of the real dinosaur but some differences remain and further research will be needed.

The scientists also discovered that the function of the dinosaur's feathers was not the same as in modern birds. Anchiornis huxleyi probably used its conspicuous feathers to attract a mate and scare enemies away. It might also have been able to jump and glide using its four wings.

Meng said that as dinosaurs evolved into birds, feathers acquired new functions such as keeping warm and flying, but their presence in dinosaurs helps prove they were the ancestors of modern birds.

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