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sharp-clawed runner
Bannykus
Say it like this: “ban-ik-us”
Bannykus wulatensis
Bannykus ate meat and walked on two legs. It lived in the Early Cretaceous. Bones have been found in China.
- When
- Early Cretaceous (Aptian) · roughly 121.4 to 113.2 million years ago
- Named in
- 2018 · Xu, X.; Choiniere, J.; Tan, Q.; Benson, R. B. J.; Clark, J.; Sullivan, C.; Zhao, Q.; Han, F.; Ma, Q.; He, Y.; Wang, S.; Xing, H.; Tan, L.
- Hip height
- Not established
- Length
- 2.8 m · 9 ft
- Weight
- 24–30 kg · 53–66 lb
- Found in
- China · Bayin-Gobi
- Food and walking
- Carnivore · Two legs
- Kind
- sharp-clawed runner · Theropod
- Family branch
- Alvarezsauroidea
The story in short
Bannykus was formally named in 2018 by X. Xu and colleagues.
It lived in the Early Cretaceous (Aptian), roughly 121.4 to 113.2 million years ago. Finds come from China, including the Bayin-Gobi Formation. It was a carnivore and walked on two legs.
Published estimates put Bannykus at a length near 2.8 m and a body mass around 24–30 kg.
On the family tree it sits in Alvarezsauroidea, among the theropod dinosaurs.
Close relatives
Alnashetri
Alnashetri cerropoliciensis
Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) · roughly 100.5 to 93.9 million years ago
Haplocheirus
Haplocheirus sollers
Middle Jurassic · Late Jurassic (Callovian · Oxfordian) · roughly 165.3 to 154.8 million years ago
Shishugounykus
Shishugounykus inexpectus
Middle Jurassic · Late Jurassic (Callovian · Oxfordian) · roughly 165.3 to 154.8 million years ago