Feathers and Genders

At least one site mentions that Conchoraptor remains have been discovered with attached feathers. These feathers have been described sparingly, but have been described as sexually dimorphic characters of Conchoraptor. Sexually dimorphic characters are typically most reliable in adult animals. The assumption with the assertion that the feathers represent dimorphism is that they most likely came from adult specimens. One of the hypotheses of discerning adults from juveniles and sub-adults in Conchoraptor is less concerned with feathers and sexual dimorphism and more concerned with the crest on the cranium. Most oviraptorids possess a large crest along the midline of the skull that is larger rostrally than caudally. The original material lacks a crest entirely and remains recovered later also appear to lack crests or possess very minimal crests. The hypothesis that crests grew as the dinosaur aged are not abnormal or new, but without known fully adult specimens possessing full crests, we can neither, as yet, support nor refute that hypothesis. However, if evidence comes to light to fully support this and the hypothesis concerning dimorphism and feather morphology, then we will know a lot more about the life histories of these animals.