Definitions
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun paleontology The hypothetical precursors of bird
feathers , believed to have been grown by certain dinosaurs.
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
proto- + feather
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Examples
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The researchers screened over 4,000 ancient amber specimens collected near Grassy Lake, Alberta, and found eleven feather or protofeather specimens.
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The researchers can't tell the age of the samples directly, but the earliest appears to be a stage I protofeather which contains "a dense forest of regularly spaces, flexible filaments."
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We actually have the actual object.… we actually have this protofeather for the first time in the flesh.
vanishedone commented on the word protofeather
B.B.C. News: 'He described the filaments seen on the body of the new dinosaur, which the team has named Tianyulong confuciusi, as "protofeathers" - the precursors of modern feathers.'
March 19, 2009
reesetee commented on the word protofeather
Great article--thanks for posting, VO.
I also like "dino-fuzz." :-)
March 19, 2009