From my just released, "Birds of the Mesozoic" The Slender Near Protopter existed 124.6 million years ago (early Cretaceous Period) in the Liaoning province in China. Discovered in the Lower Yixian Formation, it lived in temperate conifer and ginkgo forested areas set among a series of lakes fed by streams and runoff from a nearby range of active volcano mountains. This species was named and described by Zheng Xiaoting, Zhang Zihui and Hou Lianhai. The generic name means "near Protopteryx", in reference to a presumed similarity with that genus. The specific name is intended to mean "beautiful". The specimen consisted of a skeleton with skull on a plate and counterplate. The investigation preceding the description of the species proved that fossil traders had added the skull of a different individual to the torso. The description is based on the rump parts. Feathers have been preserved. The rump represents a subadult individual.