Posted on July 25, 2025
A previously unknown Middle Triassic reptile, named Mirasaura grauvogelishowed unique feather-like skin appendages that evolved independently of birds. These appendages were found in the dorsal ridge.
The crest of Mirasaura contains individual, closely overlapping appendages that each have a feather-like outline with a narrow central ridge. While true feathers consist of many delicate branching structures called barbs, there is no evidence of such branching in the appendages of Mirasaura. This unique feature of the reptile evolved independently of birds.
The name of the creature translates as Grauvogel’s Wonder Reptile. It also had a bird-like skull and snout that was probably used to search for insects in trees. It had a prehensile tail and hook-tipped tail claw. The fossil was collected by Louis Grauvogel in the 1930s and transferred to the State Museum of Natural History in Stuttgart, Germany in 2019.
Dr. Stephan Spiekman says: “The fact that we have discovered such complex skin appendages in such an ancient group of reptiles sheds new light on their evolution. Mirasaura is even older than the dinosaurs and not closely related to them. Developmental biology studies show that the genetic basis for the growth of complex skin appendages such as feathers probably originated in the Carboniferous period more than 30 years ago. first direct evidence that such structures actually formed early in reptilian evolution, in groups that are not closely related related to birds and extinct dinosaurs.”
The research article was published in the journal, Nature.
Photo: Tobias Wilhelm
