Yi
YeeName meaning: Yi-Wing Qi-Strange
Time Period: Callovian-Oxfordian (Middle to Late Jurassic) 165-155 Mya
Locations: China-Hebei-Tiaojishan Formation
Taxonomy: Theropoda-Scansoriopterygidae
Subspecies: Y. qi
Characteristics ~ ~ ~ ~
Yi qi has the shortest binomial name of any dinosaur at only 4 letters, the longest is Micropachycephalosaurus hongtuyanensis at 37 letters. It’s tail probably had 4 display feathers based on other Scansoriopterygian material. Yi was small the smaller than most birds weighing less than a pound. It shared many characteristics with birds like talons and a hallux however it had vastly different morphology. Yi Qi's had hands with 5 digits as the fourth and fith digit supported a membrane similar to bats. Yi Qi did not posses a beak it had a mouth full of small teeth that it would use for catching insects. Yi Qi lived in subtropical forests along with other early flying animals in an evolutionary arms (wing) race. Competition likely included Darwinopterid and Anurognathid pterosaurs and early birds. Ultimately birds won the war and Yi Qi and other Scansoriopterygidans would go extinct by the Kimmeridgian of the Jurassic.
History & Fossils ~ ~ ~ ~
Yi's discovery meant that other Scansorioptergians like Epidexiteryx and Scansoriopteryx most likely also had wings and they have been depicted incorrectly for around a decade. Most depictions of these animals had them with extra long fingers meant for climbing and foreging insects like an aye aye. STM 31-2
Media Deptictions ~ ~ ~ ~
Ark Survival Evolved The Comparison is often made that Yi Qi is physiologically the closest thing to a living dragon so Ark made a Yi Qi inspired dragon. I'll give credit where credit is due, it's a creative idea but im still not a fan of Ark's oversized and monsterized designs.
Prehistoric Kingdom Added in Update 16 Yi Qi is one of 10 New vivarium speceis. Yi is one of them similar to the previous Archeopteryx and Microraptor. It has an autumal pattern with a yellow head brown body and orange wings. You can see all the wierd parts of its anatomy like it's overbite, and claws jutting out of the wings.
