Xiyunykus
Name: Xiyunykus.
Phonetic: Zi-yun-e-kus
Named By: X. Xu, J. Choiniere, Q.-W. Tan,
R. B. J. Benson, J. Clark, C. Sullivan, Q. Zhao,
F.-L. Han, Q.-Y. Ma, Y.-M. He, S. Wang, H. Xing
& L. Tan - 2018.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia, Dinosauria,
Saurischia, Theropoda, Alvarezsauridae.
Species: X. pengi (type).
Diet: Insectivore?
Size: Roughly estimated around 2.3 meters long for
the holotype.
Known locations: China.
Time period: Barremian/Aptian of the Cretaceous.
Fossil representation: Partial skeleton.
Xiyunykus
is a genus of alvarezsaurid
dinosaur that lived in China during the
early Cretaceous. In terms of alvarezsaur evolution, Xiyunykus
shows an intermediate development between primitive ancestors and more
developed descendents.
Care
should be taken not to confuse the Xiyunykus with
the similarly named
alvarezsaur Xixianykus.
Further reading
- Two early Cretaceous fossils document transitional stages in
alvarezsaurian dinosaur evolution. - Current Biology
28:2853-2860. - X. Xu, J. Choiniere, Q.-W. Tan, R.
B. J. Benson, J. Clark, C. Sullivan, Q. Zhao, F.-L.
Han, Q.-Y. Ma, Y.-M. He, S. Wang, H. Xing &
L. Tan - 2018.
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