[2] It was probably a herbivore or omnivore, although its hands were very similar to those of small carnivorous dinosaurs.

[5][6] The holotype and only known specimen of Protarchaeopteryx is NGMC 2125, a partial skeleton.

It had well-developed, vaned feathers extended from a relatively short tail; the hands were long and slender, and had three fingers with sharp, curved claws.

[8] In 2016, Gregory S. Paul gave a lower estimate of 0.7 metres (2.3 ft) in length and 1.6 kilograms (3.5 lb) in body mass.

[10] It has been suggested that it could have had an arboreal lifestyle, jumping from tree limbs and using its forelimbs for a form of parachuting.