Recovery plan of Zhengyuanlong suni. (File Photo)

Skeleton picture of Zhengyuanlong suni.(File Photo)

Scientists have found a newly identified species of feathered dinosaur in west part of the northeast China's Liaoning province and named it Zhenyuanlong suni.

It is the largest dinosaur ever to have been unearthed with a well-preserved set of bird-like wings. The species belonged to a family of feathered carnivores that was widespread during the Cretaceous Period, and lived around 125 million years ago.

Professor Lu Junchang, of the Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Science and Steve Brusatte, paleontologist at Edinburgh University jointly published the discovery on the Scientific Reports on July 16.

Zhenyuanlong suni has very short arms, dense feathers covering the dinosaur's wings and tail.

Despite having bird-like wings, it probably could not fly, at least not using the same type of powerful muscle-driven flight as modern birds. "The function of the short wings is not clear for the moment. The species may have evolved from ancestors that could fly and used its wings solely for display purposes, in a similar way to how peacocks use their colorful tails, "Lu Junchang said.