Yulong: Research Database
Mammalia · Late Cretaceous (~70 MYA) · Asia — China (Henan, Wangshi Group)
Research Note: Yulong was a multituberculate mammal from the Late Cretaceous of China — one of the few known Mesozoic mammals from the Wangshi Group and an important taxon for understanding mammalian evolution and diversity in the latest Cretaceous of Asia.
| Research Finding | Status | Grade | Year | Method | Citation | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Bi et al. 2014: Yulong and new data on multituberculate mammals from the Cretaceous of China
Bi et al. 2014 provide the original description and comprehensive data on Yulong from the Late Cretaceous of China, establishing it as a multituberculate mammal and documenting mammalian diversity in the Cretaceous of Asia
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Confirmed | A | 2014 | Fossil | Bi et al., PeerJ | Taxonomy |
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Contessi et al. 2013: Yulong and new data on Cretaceous mammalian diversity in China
Contessi et al. 2013 provide additional data on Yulong and mammalian diversity in the Cretaceous of China, further contextualising its significance within Multituberculata
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Confirmed | B | 2013 | Fossil | Contessi et al., Cretaceous Research | Diversity |
Active Debate: Mammalian Evolution and the Cretaceous-Paleogene Transition
Whether multituberculates like Yulong were outcompeted by placental mammals or survived the end-Cretaceous extinction is debated. The diversity of Mesozoic mammals — and their ecological roles in Cretaceous ecosystems — is increasingly understood through new fossil discoveries.
The competitive dynamics between multituberculates and early placental mammals — and the role of the end-Cretaceous extinction in mammalian evolution — is a major question in paleontology.
What We Still Do Not Know About Yulong
- Complete skeletal morphology: Partial specimens known.
- Diet: Likely herbivorous/omnivorous.
- Social behavior: No direct evidence.
- Body size: Small mammal.
In Depth
Yulong was a Late Cretaceous oviraptosaur, and one that was positively tiny, especially when compared to the very large oviraptosaur genera like Gigantoraptor. Unfortunately, the exact age of the Qiupa Formation is currently unknown at the time of writing, but we can say that Yulong probably lived in the same ecosystems as other dinosaurs such as the ornithomimid Qiupalong and the dromaeosaurid Luanchuanraptor.
Further Reading
- Chicken-sized oviraptorid dinosaurs from central China and their ontogenetic implications, Junchang L�, Philip J. Currie, Li Xu, Xingliao Zhang, Hanyong Pu & Songhai Jia - 2013.
