Open Paleo

Chuanqilong

Han et al., 2014 shwahn-chee-long

From Chinese chuanqi (传奇, 'legendary') + long (龙, 'dragon'), meaning 'legendary dragon'.

121.4–113.2 million years ago Aptian, Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous stages

Chuanqilong is a monospecific genus of basal ankylosaurid dinosaur from the Liaoning Province, China that lived during the Early Cretaceous (late Barremian to Aptian stage, 122.0 to 118.9 Ma) in what is now the Jiufotang Formation. The type and only species, Chuanqilong chaoyangensis, is known from a nearly complete skeleton with a skull of a juvenile individual. It was described in 2014 by Fenglu Han, Wenjie Zheng, Dongyu Hu, Xing Xu, and Paul M. Barrett. Chuanqilong shows many similarities with Liaoningosaurus and may represent a later ontogenetic stage of the taxon.

Diagnosis

  1. Glenoid fossa for quadrate situated at same level as the dentary tooth row (unlike all other ankylosaurians in which it lies ventral to the tooth row).
  2. Distally tapering ischium with constriction at midshaft length (unique among ankylosaurians).
  3. Slender, wedge-like lacrimal forming rostral margin of orbit.
  4. Long, slender retroarticular process.
  5. Ratio of humerus to femur length = 0.88, notably higher than most known ankylosaurians.
  6. Width of proximal humerus is half the length of the humeral shaft (ratio ~0.50, distinct from Liaoningosaurus at 0.38).

Species

Chuanqilong chaoyangensis Han et al., 2014

Type species

Named for the broader geographical area of Chaoyang in Liaoning Province, China, which encompasses the type locality.

Holotype
CJPM V001 , Chaoyang Jizantang Paleontological Museum
Material
Nearly complete skeleton missing only the distal portion of the caudal series; two-dimensionally preserved in ventral view; skull, mandible, vertebral column, fore- and hind limbs, and armor all preserved.
Horizon
Jiufotang Formation, Aptian, Early Cretaceous , 121.4–113.2 million years ago
Locality
Baishizui Village, Liaoning, China

References

  1. Han, F.; Zheng, W.; Hu, D.; Xu, X.; Barrett, P. M. (2014). A New Basal Ankylosaurid (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Liaoning Province, China. PLoS ONE 9(8): e104551. Public Library of Science (PLoS). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0104551 han2014a
  2. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Ornithischians. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the mass and hip height estimates, and the appearance features.

    jones2026a