Suzhousaurus

Say it like this: “soo-JOH-SAWR-us”

Suzhousaurus megatherioides

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

Quiz me on Suzhousaurus

When: Early Cretaceous (Aptian · Albian) · roughly 121.4 to 100.5 million years ago
Named in: 2007 · Li, D.; Peng, C.; You, H.; Lamanna, M. C.; Harris, J. D.; Lacovara, K. J.; Zhang, J.
Hip height: 1.8 m · 6 ft
Length: 6 m · 20 ft
Weight: 3.1 tonnes
Found in: China · Xiagou
Food and walking: Herbivore · Two legs
Kind: sharp-clawed runner · Theropod
Family branch: Therizinosauroidea

The story in short

In 2007, D. Li and colleagues published the name Suzhousaurus. The name means “suzhou lizard.”

It lived in the Early Cretaceous (Aptian · Albian), roughly 121.4 to 100.5 million years ago. Finds come from China, including the Xiagou Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on two legs.

Published estimates put Suzhousaurus at a length near 6 m, hips about 1.8 m high, and a body mass around 3.1 tonnes.

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

Beipiaosaurus

Beipiaosaurus inexpectus

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

Enigmosaurus

Enigmosaurus mongoliensis

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