New Therizinosaurian Dinosaur Unearthed in China
Paleontologists have identified a new dinosaur species, Kayrasaurus changliensis, from a nearly complete skeleton discovered in China's Yixian Formation. Dating back 125 million years, this therizinosaur is the largest of its kind found in the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota.
Why it matters
The discovery provides significant new data on the anatomical diversity and evolutionary history of the rare and bizarre therizinosaur group.
Paleontologists have described a new genus and species of therizinosaur based on a nearly complete skeleton found in northeastern China. Named Kayrasaurus changliensis , the species is the largest therizinosaurian dinosaur known from the famed Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota.
Life reconstruction of Jehol therizinosaurians, illustrating variation in body size, skeletal proportions and inferred ecological strategies among species (from bottom to top): Lingyuanosaurus sihedangensis is shown in a posture suggesting greater cursoriality; Jianchangosaurus yixianensis is depicted engaging in lingual-assisted feeding, consistent with its robust hyoid apparatus; Beipiaosaurus inexpectus exhibits a robust, less cursorial bauplan; and Kayrasaurus changliensis is reconstructed browsing on higher vegetation, reflecting its larger body size and inferred feeding strategy. Image credit: Kōhei Futaka.
Kayrasaurus changliensis lived in what is now China during the Early Cretaceous epoch, around 125 million years ago.
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