Lingyuanosaurus

Say it like this: “ling-YWEN-oh-SAWR-us”

Lingyuanosaurus sihedangensis

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

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When: Early Cretaceous (Aptian) · roughly 121.4 to 113.2 million years ago
Named in: 2019 · Yao, X.; Liao, C. C.; Sullivan, C.; Xu, X.
Hip height: Not established
Length: 2.2 m · 7 ft
Weight: 12 kg · 26 lb
Found in: China
Food and walking: Carnivore · Two legs
Kind: sharp-clawed runner · Theropod
Family branch: Therizinosauria

The story in short

Lingyuanosaurus was formally named in 2019 by X. Yao and colleagues. The name honors a person tied to the fossil or its study.

It lived in the Early Cretaceous (Aptian), roughly 121.4 to 113.2 million years ago. Finds come from China. It was a carnivore and walked on two legs.

Published estimates put Lingyuanosaurus at a length near 2.2 m and a body mass around 12 kg.

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

Close relatives

Falcarius

Falcarius utahensis

Early Cretaceous (Barremian) · roughly 125.8 to 121.4 million years ago

Jianchangosaurus

Jianchangosaurus yixianensis

Early Cretaceous (Barremian) · roughly 125.8 to 121.4 million years ago

Kayrasaurus

Kayrasaurus changliensis

Early Cretaceous (Barremian) · roughly 125.8 to 121.4 million years ago