Liaoningosaurus

Say it like this: “LYOW-ning-o-SAWR-us”

Liaoningosaurus paradoxus

Liaoningosaurus ate plants and walked on four 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: 2001 · Xu, X.; Wang, X. L.; You, H. L.
Hip height: Not established
Length: 0.2–0.5 m · 1–2 ft
Weight: Not established
Found in: China · Yixian
Food and walking: Herbivore · Four legs
Kind: armored dinosaur · Ankylosaur
Family branch: Ankylosauridae

The story in short

In 2001, X. Xu and colleagues published the name Liaoningosaurus. The name means “liaoning lizard.”

It lived in 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 four legs.

Published estimates put Liaoningosaurus at a length near 0.2–0.5 m.

On the family tree it sits in Ankylosauridae, among the armored dinosaurs.

Close relatives

Aletopelta

Aletopelta coombsi

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

Cedarpelta

Cedarpelta bilbeyhallorum

Early Cretaceous (Aptian · Albian) · roughly 121.4 to 100.5 million years ago

Chuanqilong

Chuanqilong chaoyangensis

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