Monday, October 25, 2010

Pink Dinosaur #149

Pink Anchiornis by David Tana

11 - Anchiornis huxleyi - a small troodontid from the Jurassic of China (~160 mya), named after "Darwin's bulldog".  This feathered dinosaur was one of the first to have its full body color (with the exception of the tail) determined using new techniques that examine fossil melanosomes (pigment containing cells found in feathers) and compare them with melanosomes in living birds. 

I took a little artistic license with the "rufous" feathers on the head and face, but hey, it's for a fundraiser, so that's cool, right? Color references from Li et al., 2010. Color pencil on paper.

Learn more about the Pink Dinosaur Cancer Fundraiser here.