Xuanhanosaurus

Taxobox
name = "Xuanhanosaurus"
fossil_range = Mid to Late Jurassic
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
superordo = Dinosauria
ordo = Saurischia
subordo = Theropoda
infraordo = Carnosauria
genus = "Xuanhanosaurus"
genus_authority=Dong, 1984
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = "X. qilixiaensis" Dong, 1984 (type)

"Xuanhanosaurus" ("Xuanhan lizard") is a genus of theropod dinosaur of the Jurassic. It was approximately 6 meters (20 ft) in length and 2 meters (7 ft) in height, with a weight of 250 kilograms (550 lb). The dinosaur was found in China's Lower Shaximiao Formation, part of the Dashanpu Formation.

"Xuanhanosaurus" had unusually long arms for a theropod, which were substantially reduced in later theropods such as "Tyrannosaurus rex". This primitive meat-eater had powerful forelimbs. Dong Zhiming, the Chinese scientist who named it, suggested that "Xuanhanosaurus" might have walked on all four legs because of its unusually long and primitive front limbs. If so, it would be the only known four-legged meat-eater among dinosaurs. Other paleontologists do not agree with Dong. They think this dinosaur walked on its hind legs as other meat-eaters did.

References

* [http://home.comcast.net/~eoraptor/Tetanurae.htm#Xuanhanosaurusqilixiaensis The Theropod Database] on "Xuanhanosaurus"