Open Paleo

Yutyrannus

Xu et al., 2012 YOO-tie-ran-us

From Mandarin Chinese 'yu' meaning 'feather' and Latinized Greek 'tyrannos' meaning 'tyrant', translating as 'feathered tyrant'.

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

Yutyrannus is a genus of proceratosaurid tyrannosauroid dinosaur which contains a single known species, Yutyrannus huali. This species lived during the early Cretaceous period in what is now northeastern China. Three fossils of Yutyrannus huali — all found in the rock beds of Liaoning Province — are the largest-known dinosaur specimens that preserve direct evidence of feathers.

Diagnosis

  1. Rugose, highly fenestrated midline crest formed by premaxillae and nasals
  2. Anteroventrally projecting orbital process at junction of frontal and jugal processes of postorbital
  3. Large concavity on lateral surface of main body of postorbital
  4. External mandibular fenestra located mostly within surangular
  5. Long filamentous feathers extensively covering body

Species

Yutyrannus huali Xu et al., 2012

Type species

From Mandarin Chinese 'huali' (华丽/華麗) meaning 'beautiful', in reference to the perceived beauty of the animal's plumage.

Holotype
ZCDM V5000 , Zhucheng Dinosaur Museum
Material
A semi-articulated, nearly complete skeleton.
Horizon
Yixian Formation, Barremian, Early Cretaceous , 125.8–121.4 million years ago
Locality
Batuyingzi, Beipiao, Liaoning, China Xu and colleagues (2012) give the horizon as the "Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation". Their supplement explains that the specimens were bought from a fossil dealer who could not give the exact quarry at Batuyingzi, where most exposures are Tuchengzi, and that the shale slabs carry the sedimentary features of Jehol Group specimens.

References

  1. Xu, X.; Wang, K.; Zhang, K.; Ma, Q.; Xing, L.; Sullivan, C.; Hu, D.; Cheng, S.; Wang, S. (2012). A gigantic feathered dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of China. Nature 484(7392): 92-95. Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi:10.1038/nature10906 xu2012a
  2. Paul, G. S. (2024). The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs (3rd ed.). Princeton University Press.

    Source of the appearance features.

    paul2024a