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armored dinosaur
Tianchisaurus
Say it like this: “tyen-CHIH-SAWR-us”
Tianchisaurus nedegoapeferima
Tianchisaurus ate plants and walked on four legs. It lived in the Middle Jurassic. Bones have been found in China.
- When
- Middle Jurassic (Callovian) · roughly 165.3 to 161.5 million years ago
- Named in
- 1993 · Dong, Z.
- Hip height
- Not established
- Length
- 3 m · 10 ft
- Weight
- Not established
- Found in
- China · Toutunhe
- Food and walking
- Herbivore · Four legs
- Kind
- armored dinosaur · Ankylosaur
- Family branch
- Ankylosauria
The story in short
Tianchisaurus was formally named in 1993 by Z. Dong. The name means “heavenly pool lizard.”
It lived in the Middle Jurassic (Callovian), roughly 165.3 to 161.5 million years ago. Finds come from China, including the Toutunhe Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on four legs.
Published estimates put Tianchisaurus at a length near 3 m.
On the family tree it sits in Ankylosauria, among the armored dinosaurs.
Close relatives
Acanthopholis
Acanthopholis horrida
Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) · roughly 100.5 to 93.9 million years ago
Ahshislepelta
Ahshislepelta minor
Late Cretaceous (Campanian) · roughly 83.6 to 72.2 million years ago
Crichtonsaurus
Crichtonsaurus bohlini
Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian · Turonian) · roughly 100.5 to 89.8 million years ago