Xuanhanosaurus Characteristics

Xuanhanosaurus measured 20 feet (6 metres) in length, 7 feet (2 metres) in height and weighed around 250 kilograms (550 pounds). It was a bipedal dinosaur and walked on its 2 powerful hind legs. Xuanhanosaurus had unusually long, powerful arms for a theropod, which were substantially reduced in later theropods such as Tyrannosaurus Rex. The long arms might suggest that Xuanhanosaurus may have walked on all 4 limbs at some point. If so, it would be the only known 4 legged carnivore among dinosaurs. The first 2 digits on its hands were large and thick and had prominent claws. The 3rd digit was more slender and the 4th digit was so tiny it was hardly visible. It did not have grasping hands. Xuanhanosaurus had a elongated head which was equipped with rows of sharp teeth. Its tail was long, stiff and pointed and was used as a counter-balance and for changing direction quickly when hunting.

Xuanhanosaurus was a carnivore and would have terrorized the huge plant eaters that shared the landscape at that time.

An incomplete fossil of Xuanhanosaurus was found in Chinas Lower Shaximiao Formation, part of the Dashanpu Formation. The front limb and 6 primitive-looking vertebrae of this dinosaur have been discovered.

Xuanhanosaurus was named by Dong in 1984. The type species is X. qilixiaensis.