Open Paleo

Hexing

Jin et al., 2012 huh-sheeng

From Chinese hexing (like a crane); meaning 'crane-like', referring to the animal's slender, crane-like body

125.8–121.4 million years ago Barremian, Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous stages

Hexing is an extinct genus of basal ornithomimosaurian dinosaur known from the Early Cretaceous of northeastern China. It contains a single species, Hexing qingyi.

Diagnosis

  1. Rostral portion of premaxilla deflected ventrally so oral surface level with ventral border of dentary
  2. Deep antorbital fossa invading whole lateral surface of maxilla
  3. Sagittal crest on parietal
  4. Pendant paroccipital processes extending ventrally below foramen magnum
  5. Dentary fenestra (elliptical, unique among ornithomimosaurs)
  6. Phalangeal formula for manus with elongated proximal phalanges of digits III and IV >75% length of corresponding metacarpal

Species

Hexing qingyi Jin et al., 2012

Type species

From Chinese 'qingyi' meaning 'with slender wings'.

Holotype
JLUM-JZ07b1 , Jilin University Museum
Material
Skull, cervical vertebrae, and most appendicular skeleton; small specimen ~135mm femur length.
Horizon
lower Yixian Formation, Barremian, Early Cretaceous , 125.8–121.4 million years ago
Locality
Xiaobeigou, Liaoning, China

References

  1. Jin, L.; Chen, J.; Godefroit, P. (2012). A new basal ornithomimosaur (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation, northeast China. Bernissart Dinosaurs and Early Cretaceous Terrestrial Ecosystems (Godefroit, P., ed.) 466-487. Indiana University Press, Bloomington. jin2012a
  2. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Theropods. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the body length, mass, and hip height estimates.

    jones2026c