Xunmenglong

Zun-meng-long.
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Emerson Winslow

Paleoichthyologist

Emerson Winslow delves into the underwater world of prehistoric fish, uncovering the mysteries of early marine life. His discoveries have enhanced understanding of vertebrate evolution in aquatic environments.

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Name

Xunmenglong ‭(‬swift dragon‭)‬.

Phonetic

Zun-meng-long.

Named By

Lida Xing,‭ ‬Tetsuto Miyashita,‭ ‬Donghao Wang,‭ ‬Kechung Niu‭ & ‬Philip J.‭ ‬Currie‭ ‬-‭ ‬2019.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Dinosauria,‭ ‬Saurischia,‭ ‬Theropoda,‭ ‬Compsognathidae.

Diet

Carnivore/Insectivore.

Species

X.‭ ‬yingliangis‭

Size

Roughly estimated at about‭ ‬50‭ ‬centimetres long.

Known locations

China,‭ ‬Hubei province‭ ‬-‭ ‬Huajiying Formation.

Time Period

Early Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Partial remains.

In Depth

       Xunmenglong is a genus of compsognathid dinosaur that lived in China during the early Cretaceous.‭ ‬Xunmenglong seems‭ ‬to‭ ‬have been a very small dinosaur,‭ ‬small even for a compsognathid.‭ ‬As such,‭ ‬Xunmenglong was probably a small predator,‭ ‬feeding upon insects and very small vertebrates.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬A new compsognathid theropod dinosaur from the oldest assemblage of the Jehol Biota in the Lower Cretaceous Huajiying Formation,‭ ‬northeastern China.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Cretaceous Research.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Lida Xing,‭ ‬Tetsuto Miyashita,‭ ‬Donghao Wang,‭ ‬Kechung Niu‭ & ‬Philip J.‭ ‬Currie‭ ‬-‭ ‬2019.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT