Open Paleo

Wulatelong

Xu et al., 2013 woo-la-tuh-long

From Wulate (referring to Wulatehouqi, the region of Inner Mongolia, China where it was found) and Chinese long ('dragon')

83.6–72.2 million years ago Campanian, Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous stages

Wulatelong is an extinct genus of basal oviraptorid dinosaur known from the Late Cretaceous Bayan Mandahu Formation (Campanian stage) at its type area in the Linhe District of Inner Mongolia, northern China. It contains a single species, Wulatelong gobiensis.

Diagnosis

  1. Ventral extremity of external naris located below mid-height of premaxilla
  2. Strap-like jugal process of maxilla extends well beyond preorbital bar and overlaps jugal
  3. Anterodorsal process of surangular basally constricted in lateral view

Species

Wulatelong gobiensis Xu et al., 2013

Type species

Named for the Gobi Desert, the region in which the holotype was discovered.

Holotype
IVPP V18409 , Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology
Material
Partial skull and skeleton
Horizon
Bayan Mandahu Formation, Campanian, Late Cretaceous , 83.6–72.2 million years ago
Locality
The Gate, Inner Mongolia, China

References

  1. Xu, X.; Tan, Q. W.; Wang, S.; Sullivan, C.; Hone, D. W. E.; Han, F. L.; Ma, Q. Y.; Tan, L.; Xiao, D. (2013). A new oviraptorid from the Upper Cretaceous of Nei Mongol, China, and its stratigraphic implications. Vertebrata PalAsiatica 51(2): 85-101. xu2013a
  2. Paul, G. S. (2024). The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs (3rd ed.). Princeton University Press.

    Source of the body length and mass estimates.

    paul2024a
  3. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Theropods. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the hip height estimate, and the appearance features.

    jones2026c