Description
The discovery of Yutyrannus changed how paleontologists thought about large tyrannosaurs. Feathers in this carnivorous relative of T. rex suggested that other large tyrannosaurs may have had them, too. Yutyrannus hunted during the early Cretaceous in China, around 125 million years ago, and was the top predator in its environment.
- Scientific Name: Yutyrannus huali
- Characteristics: Yutyrannus was a two-legged carnivore with short arms and a large head. It had sharp curved teeth, a low crest running along the top of its skull, and a long counterbalancing tail. It had large hands with three fingers and large claws. Its body was covered with shaggy filamentous feathers. It grew up to 30 feet long, the size of a minibus.
- Size and Color: This figure is 8.25 inches long and 3 inches high. Its plumage has a dappled pattern of cream and light blue, and it has a mane of decorative black and white feathers around its neck.
- All of our products are Non-toxic and BPA free
History
Three specimens of Yutyrannus huali are known, including an almost complete articulated skeleton of an adult. They were acquired from a fossil dealer who collected them from a single quarry in Liaoning Province, China. This important material was described and named in 2012. The name Yutyrannus stems from ‘yu’, the Mandarin word for feathers, and ‘tyrannus’, the Latin for tyrant. This name reflects the presence of feathers preserved alongside the bones, and the close kinship of Yutyrannus to other tyrannosaurs.
The feathers in Yutyrannus were filamentous, so it probably looked shaggy in life as it prowled around China hunting for prey. Yutyrannus is classified as an early tyrannosaur and was one of the first truly large examples of this group. It proves that at least some giant tyrannosaurs had feathers, and suggests that later tyrannosaurs, including T. rex, might also have had feathers.
- Recommended Age: 3+
- Size in cm: 20 L x
- Size in inches: 7.87 L x
- UPC: 095866303501
