As described in a 2016 study, examination of melanosomes preserved in the specimen of "Psittacosaurus" preserved with integument indicated that the animal was countershaded, likely related to living in a dense forest habitat with little light, much like many modern species of forest-dwelling deer and antelope; stripes and spots on the limbs may represent disruptive coloration. The specimen also had dense clusters of pigment on its shoulders, face (possibly for display), and cloaca (which may have had an antimicrobial function), as well as large patagia on its hind legs that connected to the base of the tail. Its large eyes indicate that it also likely had good vision, which would have been useful in finding food or avoiding predators. The authors pointed out that there might have been variation in coloration across the range of the animal, depending on differences in the light environment. The authors were unable to determine which species of Jehol Formation "Psittacosaurus" the specimen belonged to due to the way the skull is preserved, but ruled out "P. mongoliensis", based on hip features.