Yutyrannus
YOO-ty-RAN-us
- featured
Yutyrannus is a carnivorous dinosaur from the tyrannosauroid family – a distant relative of the fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex - that is notable for the long feathers on its body and tail. In fact, at around 9m in length, this genus is the largest carnivorous dinosaur known to have feathers – lending it the name Yutyrannus, which translates to ‘feathered tyrant’.
Discovery
The exact location of Yutyrannus’ original discovery are uncertain – the first specimens were obtained via a fossil dealer who claimed they were unearthed from a quarry in Liaoning Province, China, but this has never been officially confirmed. The genus was formally described in 2012 by a team of experts led by esteemed Chinese paleontologist Xu Xing and given the specific name Yutyrannus huali – the Chinese term ‘huali’ meaning ‘beautiful’, likely in reference to its feathers.
Palaeoecology
This genus lived during the Early Cretaceous period in north-eastern China and may have needed its plumage for regulating temperature due to the cold climate. The discovery of three separate specimens together has led experts to believe that Yutyrannus may have hunted in packs, existing on a diet of smaller dinosaurs, mammals and fish.
Information
- Era
- Early Cretaceous
- Family
- Proceratosauridae
- Genus
- Yutyrannus
- height
- 2.5M
- length
- 8.25M
- weight
- 1.3T
- Diet
- Carnivore, Live Prey
- Egg batch size
- 2 - 3
