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sharp-clawed runner
Xixiasaurus
Say it like this: “SHE-shah-SOR-us”
Xixiasaurus henanensis
Xixiasaurus ate meat and walked on two legs. It lived in the Late Cretaceous. Bones have been found in China.
- When
- Late Cretaceous (Coniacian · Santonian · Campanian) · roughly 89.8 to 72.2 million years ago
- Named in
- 2010 · Lü, J.; Xu, L.; Liu, Y.; Zhang, X.; Jia, S.; Ji, Q.
- Hip height
- Not established
- Length
- 1.5 m · 5 ft
- Weight
- 8 kg · 18 lb
- Found in
- China · Majiacun
- Food and walking
- Carnivore · Two legs
- Kind
- sharp-clawed runner · Theropod
- Family branch
- Troodontidae
The story in short
Xixiasaurus was formally named in 2010 by J. Lü and colleagues. The name honors a person tied to the fossil or its study.
Fossils referred to Xixiasaurus date to the Late Cretaceous (Coniacian · Santonian · Campanian), roughly 89.8 to 72.2 million years ago. Finds come from China, including the Majiacun Formation. It was a carnivore and walked on two legs.
Published estimates put Xixiasaurus at a length near 1.5 m and a body mass around 8 kg.
On the family tree it sits in Troodontidae, among the theropod dinosaurs.
Close relatives
Almas
Almas ukhaa
Late Cretaceous (Campanian) · roughly 83.6 to 72.2 million years ago
Harenadraco
Harenadraco prima
Late Cretaceous (Campanian) · roughly 83.6 to 72.2 million years ago
Hesperornithoides
Hesperornithoides miessleri
Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian · Tithonian) · roughly 154.8 to 143.1 million years ago