Beipiaosaurus

Say it like this: “bay-pyow-SAWR-us”

Beipiaosaurus inexpectus

Beipiaosaurus ate plants and walked on two legs. It lived in the Early Cretaceous. Bones have been found in China.

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When: Early Cretaceous (Barremian) · roughly 125.8 to 121.4 million years ago
Named in: 1999 · Xu, X.; Tang, Z. L.; Wang, X. L.
Hip height: Not established
Length: 1.8–2.2 m · 6–7 ft
Weight: 27–50 kg · 60–110 lb
Found in: China · Yixian
Food and walking: Herbivore · Two legs
Kind: sharp-clawed runner · Theropod
Family branch: Therizinosauroidea

The story in short

Beipiaosaurus was formally named in 1999 by X. Xu and colleagues. The name honors a person tied to the fossil or its study.

Fossils referred to Beipiaosaurus date to the Early Cretaceous (Barremian), roughly 125.8 to 121.4 million years ago. Finds come from China, including the Yixian Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on two legs.

Published estimates put Beipiaosaurus at a length near 1.8–2.2 m and a body mass around 27–50 kg.

On the family tree it sits in Therizinosauroidea, among the theropod dinosaurs.

Close relatives

Alxasaurus

Alxasaurus elesitaiensis

Early Cretaceous (Aptian) · roughly 121.4 to 113.2 million years ago

Enigmosaurus

Enigmosaurus mongoliensis

Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian · Turonian) · roughly 100.5 to 89.8 million years ago

Erliansaurus

Erliansaurus bellamanus

Late Cretaceous (Campanian) · roughly 83.6 to 72.2 million years ago