What feature was noted about the vertebrae of *Xiongguanlong* compared to other basal tyrannosauroids?
Answer
They were noted as being more robust.
Despite possessing a relatively slender and elongated skull, the overall skeletal structure required support mechanisms capable of handling significant stress. The vertebrae of *Xiongguanlong* are specifically described as being more robust than those observed in other basal tyrannosauroids. This increased robustness in the vertebral column is hypothesized by paleontologists to have been necessary to adequately support the weight and biomechanical forces associated with carrying that long, slender skull structure during movement and likely while interacting with prey.
Related Questions
What geographical feature inspired the specific epithet *baimoensis* of *Xiongguanlong*?To which geological period do the sediments containing *Xiongguanlong* date?How does the skull morphology of *Xiongguanlong* contrast with derived Late Cretaceous tyrannosaurids?What unusual characteristic is noted regarding the premaxillary teeth of *Xiongguanlong*?In terms of evolutionary placement, what is *Xiongguanlong* recognized as within Tyrannosauroidea?What specific major jaw component was notably lacking from the holotype specimen of *Xiongguanlong*?Where does the estimated size of *Xiongguanlong* (170 to 300 kg) place it evolutionarily?What feature was noted about the vertebrae of *Xiongguanlong* compared to other basal tyrannosauroids?What does the geological setting of *Xiongguanlong* in Early Cretaceous Gansu suggest about tyrannosauroid evolution?Which contemporary genus shares a muzzle morphology reminiscent of *Xiongguanlong*'s long skull?