Jinguofortis perplexus

Described as a “messy” ancient bird, the Jinguofortis perplexus was discovered paleontologists in China in September of 2018. This 127-million-year-old species seems to bear characteristics of both dinosaurs and birds, with the fused shoulder girdle and tiny teeth, rather than claws, that are typical of flightless dinosaurs. If anything, researchers argue that this bird brings about an important truth about evolution–that it can sometimes be a messy transition for animals, as it is likely that this bird wasn’t well-suited for its environment.