What geological time period places Xiongguanlong before the massive Cretaceous tyrannosaurs?
Answer
Late Jurassic period
The geological timing of the deposits containing Xiongguanlong places it squarely within the Late Jurassic period. This temporal context is critically important because it establishes the species as an early representative of the tyrannosauroid line, existing hundreds of thousands of years prior to the evolution of apex predators such as Tyrannosaurus rex, which dominated much later in the Cretaceous period. Its presence in the Late Jurassic confirms that the diversification of tyrannosauroids began much earlier in Asia than previously theorized by some older viewpoints.
Related Questions
Where is Xiongguanlong baimoensis definitively placed within the fossil record?Which geological layer yielded the remains of Xiongguanlong baimoensis?What geological time period places Xiongguanlong before the massive Cretaceous tyrannosaurs?What unique snout morphology distinguishes Xiongguanlong from many later relatives?Where is the holotype specimen IVPP V17091 of Xiongguanlong baimoensis currently housed?What is the specific designation for the primary fossil evidence of Xiongguanlong?How does the timing of Xiongguanlong compare to the evolution of Tyrannosaurus rex?What specific geological basin in northwestern China holds the discovery site for Xiongguanlong?What does the name component 'Xiongguanlong' roughly translate to descriptively?Which specific autonomous region in China contains the Wucaiwan discovery site?