Look up · dinosaur 1413 of 1,425
sharp-clawed runner
Zhongornis
Say it like this: “JOHNG-or-nis”
Zhongornis haoae
Zhongornis ate meat and walked on two legs. It lived in the Early Cretaceous. Bones have been found in China.
- When
- Early Cretaceous (Barremian) · roughly 125.8 to 121.4 million years ago
- Named in
- 2008 · Gao, C.; Chiappe, L. M.; Meng, Q.; O'Connor, J. K.; Wang, X.; Cheng, X.; Liu, J.
- Hip height
- Not established
- Length
- Not established
- Weight
- Not established
- Found in
- China · Yixian
- Food and walking
- Carnivore · Two legs
- Kind
- sharp-clawed runner · Theropod
- Family branch
- Avialae
The story in short
Zhongornis was formally named in 2008 by C. Gao and colleagues.
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 carnivore and walked on two legs.
The fossils of Zhongornis are too incomplete for a responsible length, hip height, or weight, so those fields are left blank on purpose.
On the family tree it sits in Avialae, among the theropod dinosaurs.
Close relatives
Alcmonavis
Alcmonavis poeschli
Late Jurassic (Tithonian) · roughly 149.2 to 143.1 million years ago
Archaeopteryx
Archaeopteryx lithographica
Late Jurassic (Tithonian) · roughly 149.2 to 143.1 million years ago
Jeholornis
Jeholornis prima
Early Cretaceous (Barremian · Aptian) · roughly 125.8 to 113.2 million years ago